Lost Love
by deepwater1978
Summary: It is hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

 **D** **amon Salvatore**

Strictly speaking, I'm not a normal human being. I'm gifted. I have the power and the strength. I'm a shifter. I can feel the beast inside me but I can control it. With my talent, I can do a lot to help others.

The Special Paranormal Unit is an elite squad of supernaturals dedicated to solving missing person cases.

Using my job as head of the Special Paranormal Unit (SPU) to help others, I have done a great job of ignoring my lack of a personal life.

But Elena Gilbert is back as my boss.

How ironic is that?

Elena Gilbert, the woman I fell in love five years ago and the one I love so much.

My salvation. My first love.

But she left me.

I have lived all these years without the woman I loved.

I use the word loved because I thought she is past tense.

But now she is back. And I'm not willing to ignore our chemistry or our past.

I'm determined to claim my mate and prove that our passion is even hotter than before.

I want Elena and I want the explanation behind our separation.

Because this time I won't let her go away…

But Elena's reluctance to explain our lost love may be the one key to our destruction…

 **Elena Gilbert**

My gift allows me to work in the SPU. But this means working with Agent Damon Salvatore.

He is the object of my secret desire and also the man I fell in love way back.

But I left him five years ago.

I had a very good reason to leave the only man I loved after I had accepted his marriage proposal.

I have to stop him from coming too close…


	2. Chapter ONE

Sirens blared. One after another the police cruisers and fire department vehicles sped by in a rush. A honk sounded from behind Damon Salvatore's SUV. Enzo St John, one of the Special Paranormal Unit team members, glanced over his shoulder on the driver's seat.

"This moron is trying to cause an accident," Enzo yelled at the rear view mirror.

Damon shifted to glimpse over his shoulder. A black Sedan tailed close behind them. Too close.

Enzo gripped the wheel so hard his tanned knuckles turned white. "I'm already doing eighty."

"Enzo, let them by."

There was something big going on. He curled his hands into fists in his lap. He knew what it was. They all knew.

"Where do you think they are all going, Damon?" The concern in Bonnie Bennet's voice momentarily choked him. Her soft lilt reminded him of his mother's voice. At first appearance, you would think Bonnie was a weak woman, but make her angry, and you would have hell to pay.

Tension turned palpable with its own heartbeat in the fast-moving SUV.

"I can take a wild guess."

They made a sharp corner on a bend onto a dirt road. The SUV skidded on its wheels for a second. Everyone held on while they bounced in their seats.

"Jesus H. Christ, Enzo! Can you not to get us killed before we get there," Bonnie growled.

"Sorry, darling, but there is no time to be worried about your delightful ass bouncing on the seat when we have to find a missing kid."

"I told you to stop calling me darling!"

"Enzo…" Damon sighed.

Their constant bickering wasn't unusual, so Damon ignored it and focused on the scene ahead. Multiple police cars parked outside the house he had called the local PD on. The house he knew had the latest missing person they had been searching for.

"Oh, God!" Fear laced Bonnie's whisper.

They were thinking the same thing. That whoever kidnapped little Kyler Jones had killed her. That his request for the county to get to the house in question had been too late. His gaze roamed the area through the darkness of the early evening. Multitudes of tall willows surrounded the large house set in the middle of nowhere. Perfect. If he'd been looking for a place to do some of the things the person in that house was known for, this was the right spot. There wasn't a body around for miles. Nobody to help. Nobody to hear the screams.

Enzo hadn't fully stopped when Damon jumped out of the SUV, his feet hitting the ground with a thump. Immediate perspiration gathered on his upper lip. The humidity from August had brought intense heat. Though it was closing in on night time, the air sizzled with the high temperature from earlier.

He ran for the SWAT van. Instinct told him they would know more than the local sheriff's department. Radios beeped. Concern expanded in his chest. Everyone seemed to want an update on the situation. He recognized one of the FBI department heads—Wes Maxfield—standing off to the side of the SWAT van.

The blonde man stopped mid-sentence to give him one of his degrading piercing glares. "Salvatore. What are you doing here?"

Damon glanced from Maxfield to the other two lower ranked agents. Took both men all of a second to move away. That allowed him and Maxfield to talk.

"This is our case. We found Kyler Jones through intense searching of phone records and—"

"Save it," Maxfield cut him off. He turned away from Damon to study the area.

"How are you going to retrieve the child? Do we know if she is alive?" Damon tried to tamp down the surge of power dancing through his veins. It wasn't usually difficult to do. He had mastered his darkness. But Maxfield had a tendency of pushing his anger. The man's attitude lit a fire in his stomach.

Maxfield smirked. "We have a man who went in through the back."

Gathered men and women avidly stared at the house. Watching. Waiting. Damon knew there were no guarantees of getting the child out alive. They all knew that. It was what made his job that much harder.

Power swirled at his fingertips. He need only know what to do, and he could end the entire thing in a matter of seconds. "Do you need me to—"

"What I need, is for you to keep yourselves out of the way," Maxfield ordered. "I'm in charge here."

Anger licked at his skin, growing at the speed of a derailed train. He shot a glance at Maxfield. For a split second, Maxfield paled.

"I would watch how you talk to people, Maxfield," Damon said, no longer caring that his voice sounded hard. Steely.

An explosion rocked the ground. Damon jerked his gaze to the house. Flames consumed the structure. Screams and shouts filled the night. Men moved in all directions toward the house, gunfire blasting through the shouts. Damon's muscles tightened.

"Can we do anything?" Bonnie yelled over the sirens and shouts. She ran a hand over her mussed up ponytail. Her fingers shook. He saw the desperate need to help in her eyes. It went against her nature not to.

Damon shook his head. "We wait."

The thought of doing nothing didn't appeal to him either. In fact, it was hell to hold back and not run into the house and get the kid himself. His power shoved outward. Pushing to get out. To take control.

"Finally!" Maxfield sighed.

Damon's vision followed Maxfield's line of sight until he saw a woman running out through the flames with a bundle covered in a dripping blanket.

His breaths thundered in his ears. Everything narrowed until the only thing he saw was her. He couldn't believe his eyes. Was his mind playing a trick on him? After all these years? But no, it wasn't a trick. Soaking wet, she ran from the burning house toward them. Paramedics surrounded her and took the covered bundle from her arms. She gasped for air, coughing through the smoke she'd inhaled before she finally glanced up and met his gaze.

He didn't know how long he had been standing there, watching everything like a spectator versus an active participant. The beast inside him roared. After all the years they had been apart, after she had left him for no apparent reason, she was back. He watched her march towards him. Her dark gaze slid from him to Maxfield.

In the background, firemen fought the burning house. Sirens continued to blare. Loud. Driving the point that chaos had ensued around them. But Damon couldn't find it in him to care. His sole focus was on the woman he had loved. Hard. Very hard. The woman who had left him.

Elena Gilbert.

"Elena." Maxfield's clipped tone grated on his nerves. "What took you so long?"

Her brows dipped low, eyes flashing. "Get over it. I got the child out alive. That was my main concern. I did what was needed. If it took all night…" She shrugged. "It would have taken all night."

The black T-shirt soaked and plastered to her skin, showed off the curves Damon had always loved. Curves he had kissed, licked, and bit in the heat of passion.

Damon's hands itched to grab her. Power surged inside him. Dark. Deadly. It swarmed his veins and expanded through his limbs in a wave of heat. A haze of red clouded his vision.

Elena met his gaze. Her perfectly arched brows rose. "Damon."

He took a deep breath. Inhaled the soft scent of Jasmine she loved to wear. Fear seeped from her pores, mingling with the sweet Jasmine scent. But this wasn't the time or place to discuss their past.

"Elena."

Pain flashed through her eyes for a millisecond before she went back to the detached professional. But he had seen it. Knew that she had heard the anger in the way he had softly growled her name. She folded her arms over her chest. Defensive. He had gotten to know each of her quirks. This was her I'm-not-at-fault move.

"We don't need you here, Salvatore." Maxfield's voice broke through the tension between him and Elena.

He eyed the older man. Saw the curious way he glanced back and forth between them.

"As you can see, we have it under control. You and your—" Maxfield's gaze slid over Damon's shoulder to where Bonnie and Enzo stood behind him "—team can go. The child's safe."

He wanted to argue with Maxfield, but it wasn't his fault Elena had messed with his concentration.

Elena swallowed hard. Indecision marked her features. He gave her a slow once-over before turning on his heel to face Bonnie and Enzo. "Let's go."

"But—"

"The child is safe, Bonnie. That is what we came for."

Confusion sparked in the depths of her eyes. "Are you sure she is okay?"

"I wouldn't leave otherwise."

That was the absolute truth. All his team members knew it. He would never leave a crime scene unless the victim was safe or— in a worst-case scenario he was much too familiar with —dead. While his gift was seen as a dark destructive force, he preferred to use it for the safe return of those victims he could help find.

Bonnie nodded. Damon marched past her toward the SUV, leaving her and Enzo to follow.

"Relax, babe. If he says the kid is okay, then the kid is okay," Enzo whispered at Damon's back.

"Will you please stop calling me babe?" Bonnie hissed.

"Damon!" The sound of Elena's yell reached him just as he was about to hop into the passenger side of his vehicle.

Damon stopped. The frustration he was tamping down surged all over again. She reached him a moment later, still panting from the run out of the burning house.

"I just want to say…thank you." Her gaze dropped down to his mouth. Lust bubbled up inside him. At her slow lick of her lips, he had to grit his teeth to stop himself from hauling her to him. To taste her. "I know your team found the child." She met his gaze. Desire sparkled in the depths of her hazel eyes. "I appreciate it."

The beast he never allowed control roared inside, demanding a taste of her lips. Ah, those lips. Those lips he would never forget. She had the full luscious bow shaped lips that he knew were soft, decadent, and fit perfectly against his. Her lips, along with every abundant curve on her sexy body, had been his downfall.

"You don't need to thank me. This is our job."

"I know I don't need to thank you. But you and your team…" Elena glanced over his shoulder into the SUV. Bonnie and Enzo were actively studying them with interest. "You got her and called for help before anything could happen. You saved this child."

Damon gripped the door handle. "No. We found her. You saved her."

"Damon…"

The hairs on his arms rose. Something unlocked inside him. Her husky voice, pitched with that sexy Latin accent, was like a punch to the gut. It was low, so low over the still blaring sirens, over the shouts from the fire-fighters, if he hadn't had enhanced hearing, he would never have heard it. None of that mattered. To hear her say his name so softly instantly brought back memories of another time, another place. A time when they had done much more than mere talking. She shifted. His attention was drawn to her chest. The material of her top plastered to her body, showing off her full breasts.

 _Ignore it,_ Damon said to himself.

He pushed the unwanted memories and feelings back. "You got the kid, Gilbert. That is what matters."

Hurt clouded her eyes. Should he care that she had been hurt because he called her by her last name? No. He couldn't care. She had left him and never returned. Until now. Those emotions weren't part of him any longer.

"Damon—"

Damon turned his back on her. He had never done it before, but he did it now. Dammit, he hadn't expected it to be so hard. He hopped into the SUV. Shut the door. And shut her out. Damn. It filled his chest with a dull pain to leave Elena there with that gratefulness shining in her eyes. But he refused to glance out the window once he was in his seat. Instead, he turned to Enzo and saw the questions in his team member's eyes and ignored them.

"Let's get out of here."

x x x

Elena watched the red tail lights from the black SUV shrink with the distance. Drops crawled down her arms. It was soothing to have the coolness from the water beat away the heat from the summer. Plus, just seeing Damon again really knocked her axis off centre.

"Anything you want to tell me?" The question came across as a demand for information.

Elena turned to the sound of Maxfield's voice. Short cropped, salt-pepper hair, perfectly coiffed showed off his broad forehead and deep-set green eyes. For a man in his early forties, Maxfield wasn't hard on the eyes. Well, not for women who liked the know-it-all types, anyway. Unfortunately, for him, Elena wasn't the least bit impressed by him.

"We are on a need to know basis here, Maxfield." She wrung the water out of her ponytail and headed for her car.

"Obviously, there is something I need to know about the relationship between you and Salvatore." He barked the words over the shouts, following her towards her black, rusty Camry. "And stop calling me Maxfield."

Elena stopped, whirled in place, and shook her head. Was the man growing delusional with his position? "Hang on a second here. You recruited me. You requested my expertise for the team. You wanted me to help lead the SPU. My past with Damon or anyone else has no bearing on my ability to do the job."

"You know you will be working close to him."

"And?" Anger simmered inside her.

Maxfield's nostrils flared. Disgust lit his eyes. Figures. He had never been the type for warm and cuddly conversations. And the last thing Elena expected was for him to encourage employee relationships. "He isn't normal. He is…He is—"

"I know exactly what he is. If I were you, I would be very careful what you say about him." She snapped her mouth shut to keep from adding anything that could, and would get her fired. Dammit, she had just started the job.

She yanked on the handle to her car. The metal creaked as it opened. Maxfield placed a hand on the top of the door, stopping her from moving it further.

"Look, Lena—"

"Don't!" Elena hissed. "Only my family calls me that. You are my superior. Don't get it confused. My accepting your job offer doesn't make us friends. It doesn't make us buddies. It just makes me your employee."

"I would like to think of us as more than just employer-employee. Possibly move things to where they should be between us." His facial lines smoothed out. There was concern in his eyes for a flash of a second. "You know how I feel about you all these years."

Then an iciness entered his gaze as Elena shook her head.

"I don't think so. All we will ever be is co-workers. Don't confuse yourself." She met Maxfield's stare with her own angry glare. He should know by now that intimidation wouldn't work on her. Being raised by her uncle, because her father had been missing in action, had toughened her up. Especially when her mother was more trouble than she wanted to think about. When her family's reality finally hit her, some hard choices had to be made. And the result had been losing the only man she had loved.

"But we have known each other for a long time."

"I'm not going to repeat myself," Elena said firmly. "We will only be co-workers. Nothing else."

"What about Salvatore?"

"What?"

"What is going on between you and Salvatore?"

"Nothing of your concern."

Maxfield's brow puckered. "If you can't handle working with Salvatore, for whatever reason, just tell me. I won't hold it against you."

Yeah, Elena just bet he wouldn't. Maxfield had recruited her as a test. To see her fail. She knew what he was after, but she wouldn't give it to him. She didn't believe he actually cared about her. He had a motive. He had come to her. Right now, she had the upper hand. An upper hand she wasn't willing to lose.

Her gaze strayed past Maxfield to the ambulance where the child was taken. A paramedic shut the doors. It took off, sirens wailing. The thickness she had felt growing at her throat expanded. Damn. She had to hold it together or Maxfield would see her as nothing more than a weakling.

"What happened to the suspect?"

His question brought her attention to his face.

"When I entered the house from the back, he was in the kitchen." She gulped at the memory of the man, of what he had been doing.

"And?"

Elena ground her teeth. "And he was sharpening some large butcher knives, happily singing a song about making stew. Kyler stew. There. Are you happy?"

Maxfield's unwavering gaze was stuck on her face. Elena tried not to flinch, knowing that any sign of discomfort would be seen as a weakness. She inhaled slowly, mentally preparing herself for the torture of reviewing what just happened.

"He had already started a fire in the kitchen. Stood there sharpening those knives. All the while, the flames spread through the place." Her stomach clenched. Oxygen had frozen in her lungs. She had seen the man light himself on fire when he had seen her. "He walked to the blaze taking up one side of the kitchen. And just stood there. Burning."

She still had a hard time believing what she had seen. The maniac had continued to sing while he burned. That song. She would have a hard time sleeping remembering the stupid song. It had made cold fingers of dread crawl up her spine.

"And the kid?"

Elena took a breath. Let it out slowly. "She was tied up to a tub filled with water. The entire house started to collapse around me. By the time I reached her most of it was on fire." She gripped the door handle. Although it bothered her to have to go through what just happened, she knew it was procedure. Plus, she would have to write it out on her report anyway. "I ran to the other room, grabbed a blanket, cut her binds, wet myself, shoved the blanket into the tub, wrapped it around her and got her out." She swallowed hard against the dryness in her throat. "End of story."

Thoughts kept whirling around her mind of all the possible things she could have found in that house. None of them good. She needed to go home. Right now. She was too raw. The throbbing in her chest since she had first laid eyes on the child hadn't dissipated yet. Too many emotions were clogging up her throat. Seeing that little girl tied up was like getting stabbed in the gut. Absolute hell. Kyler's pale green eyes had been filled with fear. Watching the drenched six-year-old shaking, her lips turning purple from the icy water almost broke her. Jesus. But this was her job. She was damn good at it and no amount of stress on a case—or her pathetic excuse of a personal life—was going to make her give it up.

"Are you sure you will be fine working with Salvatore and his team?" Maxfield asked. There was annoyance in the way he asked the question. Not concern. Never concern. That simply added to her rising temper.

Elena was tired. Tired of having to be the responsible one in her family. Of giving up everything she had ever wanted. And she was especially tired of Maxfield and his condescension. "Did you want me to promise that in blood or something?" His skin turned mottled with anger. Too bad. "I already said I'm fine. Now let me go home and let me do my job. I can handle Damon. And his team."

Maxfield stepped away, giving her space to slide into the car. He continued to watch her. Her muscles felt tight from the tension of the past hour. The engine's roar was music to her ears. Maxfield dropped down to eye level. Damn. She thought he was done.

"I won't have you or him messing with the plans I have in the Bureau."

Elena bit the inside of her cheek hard, until she swore she tasted blood. Then she counted to ten before finally answering him.

"I know what it is you want." Elena had been informed Maxfield was gunning for a high-ranking position. "I don't really care about it. That is your problem." She gripped the wheel, staring into his angry dark gaze. "But I think you should know, that you won't ever be allowed to lead the SPU. It is why they made you hire me." She smiled coldly. "You see, you need to be paranormal to lead that team. It is why I'm reporting to the head of the Bureau directly."

"I don't care what you think you know. I want to make sure that you are able to handle this. I will have the group reporting to me at some point," he growled.

Elena shook her head. "No. You won't. I know you have tried. You can't lead a special team." She shifted gears, put the car in reverse, and hit the accelerator. Tires squealed. Maxfield rushed off in order to not be run over. She stopped, turned the wheel and put it in drive. "You know why you can't lead a special team, Maxfield?"

Maxfield stood there motionless. Watching her. His face clear of all emotions but the usual anger she had come to know well.

"Because you are not special."


	3. Chapter TWO

Elena arrived at her small house exhausted. Now that everything was over with, and they had gotten the child out alive, the adrenaline she had been working with made a sudden disappearing act. On her way to the bathroom, she dropped soaked articles of clothing on the pristine dark-wood floor. A bath was a must. Her nerves were fried. She kept visualizing Kyler's wide green eyes staring at her. She bit her lip and tamped down the urge to cry. Stupid emotions.

 _Toughen up, girl,_ she told herself.

The minute Elena reached the bathroom, she filled the tub with warm water and some of her favourite Jasmine scented bubble bath. She slid out of her underwear and lit the scented candles lining the large tub. It was the main reason she had bought that house. The bathroom was twice the size of the guest bedroom, but she didn't care. Besides, nobody visited her anyway.

Her mind wandered as she slipped into the bubbly water. Damon Salvatore. Her heart beat faster at the thought of seeing him. She knew she would, but she hadn't been ready for the visual assault on her senses. He looked much better than he had when she first met him at the age of twenty-two. Damon was twenty-nine at that time. Elena sighed, sunk further into the water, and dropped her head on the white towel she had placed behind her neck. Five years. Lord had those years been good to him. He had toned his body and defined muscles.

God. She had missed him so much.

He still wore his dark brown almost black hair just over his ears, usually styled in casual disarray. Exactly the way she had first met him. Memories of their time together assailed her brain. Damon had been her world. Until her reality had shattered. Raw pain pierced her heart. She hadn't stopped loving him. Never would. But what she had done, it had been for the best. He wanted something she couldn't give him. And if history repeated itself, she wouldn't put him through a future filled with misery.

Elena closed her eyes. Saw Damon's intense blue-grey eyes staring at her. Guilt assailed her. There had been shock and anger in his face when he had first seen her. How would he react when he knew she was his new boss? She licked her lips. He would probably quit on the spot. Her mind drifted to images of his naked body from five years ago. Hell, his body was a lot better filled out now. With striking, intense blue-grey eyes contrasting wonderfully against darkened lashes and eyebrows, a 'bad boy' smile, he still looked just as mouth-watering as he did back then. His 'bad boy' smile had been one of the main reasons a good girl like Elena Gilbert would date such a bad boy.

Damon. That was how he had introduced himself the first time they had met. She had been going home alone after a party, and some guys tried to get fresh with her. She smiled at the memory. Though she would have been able to handle the pathetic boys, it had been incredibly romantic for him to come to her rescue. That one night had changed her life. The moment their eyes met, an instant connection had taken place. And Elena knew that Damon was the only man for her.

Love at first sight. Yeah right. She had been the first skeptic, until she had felt all kinds of emotions rush through her body and centre in her heart the moment Damon held her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

Now, here she was playing the role of his boss. She couldn't let their past interfere with the SPU's future. Maxfield would tear the group to shreds if he knew of her past with Damon. But damn it all, Damon looked better in real life than in every dream she'd had of him for the past five years. His full lips were still just as sexy. Even with the way he formed them into an angry straight line. The clean-shaven look was still sexy and gorgeous as before. Though now she had seen his clenched jaw and had a good view of the vein throbbing on the side of his cheek.

After the water turned cold, Elena got out and dressed in boxer shorts and a tank top. The brown wooden box at the bottom of her closet called her attention through the open doors. She placed the memory keeper on top of her bed and rummaged through her past. Photos of her and Damon picnicking at the park and at the beach sat at the top of the pile.

The photo book of her childhood came out next. She wasn't going to look at that. A smile worked her lips. Hand-made cards. Damon had always been romantic. Detailed. He didn't buy cards. He had made them for her. Always using something to make her think of a special moment they'd had together. At the bottom of the box, she found the photo of the night he had proposed. Her throat closed up on her.

Remembering how happy that single act of him getting on his knee and asking her to marry him at their favourite spot by the lake made her heart thunder in her chest. Her eyes focused on a single crinkled sheet of paper, yellowed from the years, under the photo. It was her reminder of why she had left him.

"You plan on coming to eat or what?"

Elena shrieked, almost got whiplash with how fast she looked up. Dropped everything and slapped a hand on her chest. "For goodness sake, Caroline!"

"What?" Caroline's green eyes sparkled with laughter.

Her best friend and neighbour loved walking in unannounced.

"Don't try to act all innocent. You almost gave me a heart attack!" Elena shut the box and carried it to her closet.

"Hey, it is not my fault you keep forgetting pizza night."

Elena had forgotten. Again. Every Wednesday was pizza night. Caroline picked it up on her way home from the dental office where she was a receptionist. Since she had a spare key to Elena's place, she let herself in.

Elena followed behind Caroline towards the delicious scent of garlic, sauce, and pepperoni. Her stomach chose that moment to growl.

"Damn, girl! Was that your stomach?" Caroline jumped away from her. "Let's feed you already. Before you decide to take a bite out of me."

"Hah. Real funny," Elena muttered.

The pizza box lay on the middle of her coffee table with some glasses filled with wine.

"Caroline, you know I don't drink during the week." But really, who cared about that nonsense right now? With the day she'd had, she could use a whole bottle. Or two. Elena brought the wine glass straight to her lips and took a big gulp.

"I know. I just figured with the rescue you did tonight, I think you earned that glass girlfriend." Caroline handed her a slice of gooey heaven on a paper plate.

"Thanks." Elena took a bite and sighed.

"Glad to see something brings a smile to your face." Caroline's shrewd gaze was a little nerve wracking. They had known each other since preschool and they had been best friends since. Caroline was a strong believer in karma, and she was constantly telling Elena stories of the different colours she saw on people out in the street.

"I'm fine. I have just had a long day."

"I saw."

Elena lifted her brows.

"The news. Guess you didn't notice but they arrived to cover the fire just as you were leaving. They showed a quick scan of the area. I caught a glimpse of you taking off, leaving the big guy pissed as hell."

Elena hated being in the news. The headache she had been fighting, which had slowly started to drain away, made a comeback.

"I saw Damon tonight," she said softly.

"I know."

Dammit. She hated when Caroline did that whole seeing the future shit. She sucked at her own ability. How was it that Caroline could do it better than her?

"Go on," Elena groaned. "Tell me what you know."

"Honey, I have tried to tell you that Damon will love you for the rest of his life. There is no other woman for him."

"This isn't about love." If it were something that simple, it would be easy. But it wasn't. Loving him and wanting to see him happy was the reason she had left.

"All you need is love," Caroline sing-songed.

Elena sat back and continued to eat. "Not all the time. Anyway, my relationship with Damon is in the past."

Caroline choked on her wine. Her laughter bounced around the walls of the small house. She combed her fingers through her blonde hair, all the while grinning unrepentantly.

"How can you say that? You have loved him since the first time you saw him. He has loved you the same. You are together again." She lifted her brows. "Working together."

Elena rolled her eyes. "It is a group. It is not like it is just me and him. Besides, from what I saw tonight, I bet he doesn't want to be anywhere near me."

Unfortunately, for big, sexy, angry Damon Salvatore, she had a job to do. And he was part of it.


	4. Chapter THREE

Damon studied his laptop screen, trying to make sense of the notes he had taken for his report, but unable to concentrate. Crap. Five years. Elena had left and said nothing for five years. Her last message to him was to tell him not to look for her. That she couldn't marry him. A familiar dull ache filled his chest.

Soft knocking jerked him out of his trance. Damon glanced up. Their gazes met and held. Her. For a moment, they stared at each other, unmoving.

Elena turned the knob and entered into his private space. The soft scent of jasmine immediately dug into his lungs. He didn't want to like it. Didn't want to bury his nose in her neck and inhale hard. So damn hard he would feel the animal under his skin fighting to let loose.

He gritted his teeth and frowned instead. "What can I do for you, Gilbert?"

Elena lifted a brow. He watched her torture her bottom lip with her teeth for a moment before she finally spoke. "I guess you have heard, huh?" She shifted in her pantsuit, as if uncomfortable.

"Heard?"

Elena frowned. "That bastard! I should have known he wouldn't tell you," she muttered and started pacing the confines of his office. "No, leave it to me to have to break the bad news. Asshole!"

"What news?" Damon loved watching her curvy body move around his office in that pantsuit. Hell that outfit fit like it had been made for her, and despite trying hard not look at her, he couldn't keep his eyes away from her body because she looked damn good in that pantsuit.

Elena stopped. "Okay, so here it is." She visibly gulped and gripped one of his chairs. "I'm your new boss."

Damon sat back, waiting for her to say gotcha or some other phrase when one was being played a prank on.

"Honey, I report to Tanner. Head of the Bureau."

Elena shook her head. Long dark waves bounced around her shoulders and arms. "No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

Her brows dipped. "No. You. Don't."

"Look, I don't know what Maxfield has been telling you, but—"

"It is not him. Though he was used to recruit me, Tanner hired me to oversee your group directly." She gave an apologetic sigh. "I'm sorry."

"That is not possible. The last time Tanner and I spoke—" Damon broke off, remembering the conversation. Tanner had told him he would be getting a new person in the team. Or maybe he had said someone to lead the team. Fucking hell! She couldn't be his new boss. What kind of messed up game was Maxfield playing?

"Look, Damon—"

"Salvatore."

Elena pursed her lips. "Fine. Salvatore. The past is the past. We can't change it. Let's focus on the job. Though I am sure you have been great at leading this team, they want someone with more experience doing physical retrieval of victims."

"Is that what you have been doing?" When Elena had left, Damon had been hurt, angry, and lonely. But he had ignored her wishes and tried to find her. Every search brought him up empty handed. She had disappeared. Left him alone. Left him hurting to be with her, near her, again.

"Yes…I…I have been working for the Bureau for a few years now. Let's try to find common ground to help this team succeed. I really want to prove to Maxfield that Tanner made the right move."

Damon shot to his feet. In a fluid move, he walked around his desk and stopped in front of Elena.

"Damon…" Her voice had that little tremble he recognized when she was trying really hard to act tough. Unfortunately, for her, he had learned each of her body's reactions. He also picked up on the scent of pain seeping from her pores.

"Okay, you want to find common ground? Let's start by you telling me why you left after accepting my proposal." Damon ground the words out past the knot in his throat. The beast inside him hurt. He had missed her. His mate.

Raw pain flashed through her eyes. Pain that made his breath catch. Pure agony drifted from her and shot straight to his heart, stabbing holes into him.

"Don't do this, Damon." Her soft plea wrapped around his gut and squeezed. Squeezed until his muscles burned from how hard it was to stand there and not grab her. Hold her. Touch her. But how could he not ask? He needed to find out what drove her away, or he would never move past it.

Damon stepped towards her. Watched her eyes widened. Need urged him to touch her. To slide his fingers over the side of her face liked he had done countless times before. Then she would lean into his touch. And he would lick a slow trail over her full lips. The animal inside him urged him to get a taste.

Of her skin.

Of her lips.

Of her scent.

Those pouty lips beckoned him closer. Lust roared through him like a volcano erupting for the first time. He had to control himself. They were at his office. In full view of everyone. No matter what his animal wanted, he couldn't have her. Yet.

"Damon, wh-what are you doing?"

The beast pushed under his skin. Power danced over his pores. It was the ultimate high. Her presence had created a chain reaction he hadn't experienced since she'd left. The room shook. He wanted to let go. To let his thick dark pull of power reign.

"Damon! Control yourself," Elena demanded in a barely audible whisper. Her gaze darted out of the room to the work floor. No one seemed to realize what was going on in his office.

Damon inhaled and reined in his power. "Sorry. Got a little excited there."

"Yeah, I know all about that." Elena glanced at his lips. Seductive brown eyes met his gaze. Lust shone bright.

"Listen—"

Ringing stopped him short. Elena frowned, dug into her pocket and pulled out a cell phone. Her frown deepened as she pressed the talk button. "Elena."

"Jenna?"

Damon heard both sides of the conversation without a problem due to his enhanced hearing.

"Jenna?"

"I need you, Elena." The female voice on the other end of the line sounded upset.

"What is wrong? We haven't spoken in so long, Jenna. What do you need?" Elena rubbed a hand over her right temple, brow puckered in confusion.

"It is my little girl, Roxy. She is missing. I think something has happened to her."

"The best thing to do is call the police," Elena replied slowly. "Have you tried that?"

Damon wondered why Elena was speaking as if the woman couldn't understand.

"Yes, I did. They are looking for her boyfriend. Stupid girl," the woman's voice grew angry. "I told her that boy would get her into trouble. Now look at her."

"Okay, Jenna. Let me call your local police department and speak to them directly."

"No, no, no. You have to come. You have to find her." April choked out. The poor woman sounded desperate.

Elena glanced up. Their gazes clashed. Sparks flew. She bit her lip. Confusion and concerned floated towards him, enveloping him in its grasp. Instinct urged him to hold her. Make it better. He curled his hands into fists, waiting.

"Jenna, let me try the police, and then I will see what the best course of action is." Her voice stayed soft and reassuring.

"Okay. I will wait for you, Elena."

Elena disconnected the call. For a long quiet minute, she stared down at the phone lost in thought.

"Everything okay?"

Her head jerked up. "You heard. That was my aunt. I haven't seen her in a long time. Many years."

Emotions played across her features. Sadness. Fear. Resignation. "Will you go?"

His door burst open, saving her from answering his question.

Damon turned on his heel to face the intruder. Annoyance at having his time with her interrupted made him react. "What do you want?"

Bonnie and Enzo's eyes widened at his loud growl.

"Sorry, boss. Didn't realize you were busy." Bonnie grinned over Damon's shoulder to Elena.

"I'm sorry, Damon." Bonnie glanced to and fro between him and Elena. Her brows rose. She had noticed his protective stance in front of Elena. Hell. Now he would have to say something to them about her.

"Bonnie, right?" Elena marched around Damon, leaving a soft trail of Jasmine as she passed him by. The scent continued to torture him with memories of watching her spraying some of the perfume over her naked body. All for him. So he could kiss every place she had sprayed and start hours of lovemaking that would last all night.

"Er…yes." Bonnie glanced at him. There were questions in her eyes. Questions he couldn't answer.

"I'm Elena Gilbert. The new Director and lead for the SPU."

Bonnie frowned. "Excuse me?"

Enzo's smiled widened. He took a step towards Elena, grabbed her hand, and brought it to his lips. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Elena studied him for a moment. Then a smile split her lips. "You are Enzo."

He bowed low. "At your service madam."

Damon had to check his anger. He wanted to strangle his own friend. Even though he knew Enzo wasn't being serious, it bothered him to see him touch Elena. She was his. Only his. Something tightened around his gut.

He had bigger problems at the moment. Control. He had to stay in control. Power pushed at his pores, seeking to destroy everything around him. That power was the reason he had been chosen to lead the SPU. Probably the same reason Elena was taking over now. What a joke. The heads of the Bureau wouldn't want someone able to dish out so much destruction in charge of such a special unit. He had known it would only be a matter of time before they took his team.

"I heard about you, Enzo." Her voice lowered. "I know you have been dying to get some time off so you can go relax at your beach house."

The vice squeezing Damon's stomach loosened. Elena knew what Enzo was about.

Bonnie had been glaring at Enzo for his overt display of affection. She smiled suddenly, her green eyes sparkling like two emeralds. There wasn't another person in the world with Bonnie's eyes. She was unique in every way. A soft giggle escaped her.

Enzo winked over his shoulder at Bonnie. "You are more than welcome to come to my beach house with me, princess."

Elena took a step closer to Enzo, her posture relaxed. "I will ignore your stupidity this one time, Enzo. Because I know you are trying to provoke me. But be very clear." She folded her arms over her chest. "I don't need to write you up or put you on unpaid time off."

"Oh?" The cocky grin slid off Enzo's lips.

"I know what you are." Elena's smile grew, until it showed the small dimple on her right cheek. "You need the outdoors. You need air. But if you don't behave while I'm around, I will have you go work with the analysts who gather our data for us."

Enzo snorted. He folded his arms over his chest, large muscles contracting. "So?"

Elena shrugged. "They work in the basement level." Her gaze pierced Enzo in place. "No windows. No sun. No nature."

Damon knew Elena would never do that. But her words had the desired effect. Enzo turned pale. He glanced at Damon.

"She is in charge. Behave."

Elena jerked sideways, narrowing her eyes at Damon. "That goes for you too. Behave."

If she only knew. He had closed off his feelings for any other woman after what she had done. His team was what mattered for the past five years. The work they did. Saving those people who had disappeared had been his main goal in life. But now she had returned. There was no way in hell he was going to sit by and not take advantage of that.

In order to find out why Elena left him, he would need to spend time with her. Wear her down until she opened up to him. He would find out. If it meant dragging her deliciously curvy body into his bed and doing some really unprofessional things to her, then so be it. He could live with that.

Elena headed for the door, stopped at the entrance, and turned to Enzo. "Try not to get into any more trouble." She nodded at Bonnie. "Keep him in line."

Bonnie grinned. "Welcome to the team."

"Aw, hell," Enzo groaned.

Damon watched Elena leave his office. His gaze immediately dropped to her ass. She still had the curves that made his mouth water. He had always loved that about her. She wasn't a stick figure. She was hot. Real hot. Elena was tough enough to never let anyone take her for a ride. But she was also a good person. Kind. Caring. Compassionate. Damon had seen that inner beauty of hers. It made him want to fight against whatever it was that drove her from him in the first place.

x x x

Elena tried to keep her cool as she headed for her office. After all the training and extractions she had done, it would suck completely for her to lose her self-control now. Dammit! She clenched her teeth. Damon's body had pulverized every brain cell and shot her thoughts straight to the gutter. To that place she was familiar with—where he had ruled her mind and body, and she had given up all pretence of even caring that he was in control.

Her blood sizzled with awareness. It wouldn't do her any good to give in to her desires. This was a different time. She was a different woman. Damon was…what the hell! He looked so good he made her eyes water.

Memories drifted through her mind. Of all the times he had shown her how much he wanted her. They had been explosive in bed. Heck, they had been explosive out of it. Damon had been the only man who made her melt with a single smile. One grin and her body temperature skyrocketed. If only those feelings stayed in the past. Instead, she felt like she had gotten an electric shock from her head to her toes. Tingles swept down her body, pooling at her core. Great time for her hormones to remember he was her biggest—hell, her only, desire.

Maxfield stood by her window.

Tension twisted in her stomach, into a thick uncomfortable knot that pushed her to lash out. "What are you doing here?"

He lifted a bushy blonde brow. "You seem to forget who I am."

Elena ground her teeth. Tomorrow she would have a horrible pain in her jaw, but that didn't matter right now. "I assure you, I have tried very hard to forget who you are, but it is not working.

A vein twitched on his left cheek. She watched it, fascinated.

"Elena, I only want to help you succeed."

Elena rolled her eyes. "I don't need your help."

"I want to move past this awkwardness. I want us to grow—"

"I don't know what the heck gave you the impression I'm interested in growing anything with you, but lose that idea."

"Elena, your being here means a lot to me."

Anger urged her feet, and Elena marched around him to her desk to sit. Leather squeaked. "Look, Maxfield, we both know you are only interested in what you want." She focussed her attention on the files in front of her. "Now, what do you want?"

"I know you don't believe me, but I want to see you succeed with the SPU."

"I already met half of the team. We will get along fine. I don't need hand holding."

"I have heard about Enzo, and his little Casanova ways."

Elena stopped searching through her files to glance up at him. "Enzo is one of the best field operatives. I have read his file. He and Damon work as a team. In and out. No messes. No problems."

Maxfield's features tightened. "He is also a flirt."

"Not everybody is perfect." She flung back. "You certainly aren't."

They had a staring contest that lasted a long tense moment. She curled her fingers into fists, nails biting into her palms.

"Let me know if you need my help."

Of course she would. When hell froze over. "Anything else?"

"Yes. Keep me abreast of all that goes on with the team."

Elena took a breath and counted to ten backward and forward before replying. Her attempt at tamping down the surge of anger hadn't worked well. "How many times do I have to tell you, you are not my boss?" Heat kissed her cheeks. Her temperature had risen to the point she knew sweat would start gathering on her upper lip. She tried not to growl when she spoke. "This is my team. I do things my way. If I have a problem, I will let Tanner know."

Maxfield marched to the door. His pristine, black suit only made his tanned skin appear even darker. He gripped the handle. "Don't forget why you are here."

Was he for real? Like she could.

"Oh, I won't." Elena got out through gritted teeth. "I'm here to lead a team of paranormal agents. You, on the other hand, are here to piss me off."

Maxfield jerked the wooden door open. "I will be watching you."

"I have no doubt you will."

Would he leave already and stop his stupid taunts? Maxfield marched off in silence. Rage licked at her skin. Elena wasn't one to anger easily, but Maxfield just pushed the buttons that made her want to pull out some missiles and go World War III on him.

She sat there, silent. Maxfield might be a jerk, but he had pull. No matter what happened, she needed to keep her team under control. If she didn't, they would surely remove her, and only God knew who they would put in charge.

Buzzing sounded from her pocket. Damn. She had forgotten Jenna. She sent Bonnie a message, asking her to pull up the missing person's report and email it to her. A few moments later an envelope popped up on her screen. It was the missing person's report for Roxana Santos.

Her sixteen-year-old cousin had been missing for two days. Aunt Jenna had reported her missing yesterday. No definitive information on who might know where the teen had gone.

Sixteen and missing. She reached for the phone, dialled the Holy Oaks Police Department, and waited. Ten frustrating minutes later she had no more information than she'd had before. She gripped the squishy stress ball from her desk and hurled it at her door. At the same time it opened. Damon's hand shot out and caught it.

"Nice shot. Didn't realize you knew it was me."

Elena licked her lips. Christ how was she going to survive this day from hell? Damn. She tried really hard not to ogle him again, but failed miserably. "I didn't. What can I do for you?"

"What is wrong?" His brows dipped low. Muscles shifted under the black T-shirt. Big smooth muscles. Muscles she knew were warm to touch. Her throat dried like the flames from yesterday had licked away all the moisture.

"Nothing is wrong."

Elena tried to blink the vision of his naked body away. Her brain focused on the image of his tight pecs and six-pack abs. Jesus. She would never get any work done with that on her mind. She blinked. Only now her focus moved to his hands. Those big hands with thick digits.

 _Oh, hell no. Don't even go there. Don't think of sex. Don't think of sex,_ Elena reminded herself.

She was screwed. She knew that. The things those hands had done to her had been magical.

"Something is clearly wrong. I sensed your fear when I walked in the door."

Yeah, he was wrong and he probably smelled her arousal right about now. If only she could control her hormones like she should, everything would be fine. Instead, an insane mental storm of adult rated memories sat at the front of her mind. They were the really good kind too. Incredible memories bombarded her mind, the type where he had given her multiple orgasms of the screaming kind.

"My cousin. She is missing."

Damon entered her office the rest of the way. Elena watched him. With a loud click, he shut the door and moved closer to her.

"The call you got earlier?"

Elena nodded. "She has been missing for two days."

He leaned on the door, arms folded over his chest. "Any clues where she could be?"

"No."

Damon's face was incredibly sexy. Five years later, and he still had that bad-boy expression that had made her heart beat double-time from the first glimpse she'd had of his face.

"No?"

"What?"

Damon grinned. Damn. Elena had lost track of the conversation. There was no helping it. All those muscles. That mouth. Those hands. And if she thought of body parts lower than his belly button, he would know for sure she was turned on.

"I mean" —she cleared her throat— "that the police are very limited on what they have found. They are going through places she might be at or people who may know where she is."

"But?"

Elena sighed. "But they are thinking she ran away."

His gaze held hers. "You don't believe that is possible?"

Goosebumps broke over her arms. His low voice had that effect on her. "I don't know." She ran restless fingers through her hair. "Jenna sounded sure something had gone wrong. That is what worries me."

"What are you thinking of doing?"

Elena grinned. Damon had known she wouldn't sit by and let something happen to a family member. It was nice to see he hadn't forgotten that about her.

"I will have to go see for myself. Try to figure it out and decide if there is a bigger case there. Maybe something that was overlooked."

"Elena…"

"Save it, Damon." She gathered the papers she had been sent over email. "I'm going."

"Fine."

"I wasn't asking permission, you know."

"I'm coming with you."

She glanced up, jaw hanging. "I didn't ask for your backup either. This isn't even an SPU case. It is probably a short trip that will end with me finding Roxy at a friend's house or something."

"Great. I'm still coming with you."

"That isn't necessary." She argued. "I'm the lead here, Damon. My rules, remember?"

"I will let you believe that, if it makes you happy."

Elena growled and slapped her hands on her hips. "You have gotten full of yourself in our time apart."

"Not really. I know what I'm doing." Damon unfolded his arms and dug his hands into his pockets. His arm muscles bunched with the move. "You might need me."

Her breath caught at the concern in his eyes. Elena couldn't fight his need to protect her. It was the type of man he was. How in the world had she been able to stay away from him?

"I can take care of myself." She tried to sound less hostile. Damon only wanted to help.

"Good to know." His sinful lips flattened into that line that told her he wasn't backing down. "I'm still coming."

"You are so…so—"

"Coming."

Elena ground her teeth. "Suit yourself, then."


	5. Chapter FOUR

Elena woke bathed in cold sweat. Fear, pain, and despair filled her chest to near bursting. She reached for the sleep log with shaky fingers. Sitting up in a rush, she attempted to take down details of her dream. She had tried her best to use her gift to make some sense out of her dreams of the future. Success had been marginal. If only she could remember things with more detail.

Her phone rang. Anxiety spiked inside her. A quick glance at the screen, and her fear subsided. Marginally. Caroline knew when to call to add some paranoia into her life.

"Tell me everything."

Elena shut her eyes to her surroundings and retreated into the memories.

"There were two voices. A softer voice I couldn't quite make out, but I swear it sounded familiar. The other was just this evil laughter."

"How did you feel when you heard it?"

"Like something terrible was about to happen."

Oxygen fought its way into her lungs. Her heartbeat pounded loud in her ears. Fear would only keep her from getting her work done. Elena had to push it aside. _Remember,_ she reminded herself. _Try to remember._ Even if it felt like she was opening the doors to hell. She needed to know. She had to know.

"What else did you see?" Caroline's tone was soothing. She had done this so many times. Elena and Caroline shared a link due to their similar gifts. They didn't have the same dreams. But when one dreamed of the future, the other did too.

"A doll."

"What kind of doll?"

Another shrill dose of fear wrapped around her in a chokehold. "An old-fashioned material doll. Dirty. Falling apart. Old."

The image was significant. Elena bit her lip. Something about the doll stood out. She couldn't figure out what. It had a regular little dress. Nothing special. She could tell the raggedy toy had been through some serious use. One button eye was ready to fall off. Hair made of string had been bound into pig tails by two old ribbons.

"Can you see anything else?"

Her mind fought to stay with the thin thread of images. Shadows crowded the edges of her brain. Panic started to take hold. _Remember,_ she kept telling herself. _You need to remember._

"A hand. I think I saw a hand. It was really fast."

"Describe it for me."

Elena groaned, frustrated. "I can't. It was too dark. There iss not enough that I can make out anything useful."

"Relax your mind, Elena."

Multiple breaths didn't help. Elena lost the few memories. Only darkness remained. Darkness that haunted her dreams. That hunted her.

"Goddammit!"

"You need to calm down. Anger won't help you release your memories from wherever you are storing them."

Elena sighed. That dream was not coming to her tonight.

"Thanks for calling."

"I'm here for you. I'm always here for you, Elena."

Elena clung to the peace listening to Caroline's voice brought to her. She wanted to hug her friend. A shiver racked her. "I know."

x x x

The next morning, Elena opened her front door to find Damon leaning on the hood of her car. His broad, muscular frame was covered in head to toe black. Not that the colour did anything to hide his abundant hotness. He met her gaze, pinning him with a profound stare.

"I knew you wouldn't call for me to say when we would leave, so I decided to show up."

"Nice," she grumbled.

Damon studied her outfit as she came closer. Great. How could she handle being in a car with him for hours when all her mind kept sharing was every sexual escapade they hadd ever had, which had been way too many in the years they had dated.

"You look nice."

Her heart flipped. No getting excited over him liking what she had worn. It wasn't anything special to throw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, although he made it sound like she had dressed to the nines. She squeezed the travel mug in her hand. "Thanks. My car or yours?"

"Mine. You can relax while I drive."

As if Elena could. She cleared her throat of the words trying to push out. No way in hell could she relax. Too much was on her mind.

"So, when was the last time you visited Holy Oaks?" Damon asked.

"I haven't actually been back to Holy Oaks much," Elena said softly.

They had been driving for almost two hours. Most of which had been a tense silence which started to get on her last nerve. Elena couldn't take it anymore. Since Damon had picked her up, she had been fighting the memories of their old life together. What she should be focusing on was the dream and trying to figure out what it meant for the future. If she couldn't figure it out it could be bad news for someone.

"Stop it." Damon's rumble glided over her in a smooth caress. His voice flicked the switch to memory lane. _Great,_ Elena said to herself. She couldn't remember what she needed to, but her mind sure knew what door to open for X-rated Damon and Elena movies to play on loop in her head.

"Stop what?"

"Thinking so hard."

The numerous trees outside her window were no longer holding her attention. Shifting in her seat, Elena glanced at Damon.

His brows dipped in a frown and his eyes turned bright with concern.

"I'm not thinking hard," she said.

"If you say so. Now tell me why you stayed away from Holy Oaks," he inquired.

Elena shrugged. "I just haven't gone to visit. It is not like I really remember the place."

"Why not?" Damon glanced at her, curious. "How long did you live there?"

Her mind whirled back in time, to the memories she did have of the place. "I lived there until I was three and then my uncle took me to live with him in a new home he had bought up at Crawford."

"That was where you went to college."

Elena nodded. "We lived there ever since and never returned. Even though my aunt Jenna and her daughter, Roxy, were still living at Holy Oaks."

"That is normal? For your uncle to just up and leave a family member and never visit again?"

Elena rubbed the header on the dashboard, flitting through her memories. "My uncle John spoke to Jenna almost daily. But he never shared the conversations with me other than to say Jenna was very eccentric."

Damon's brows rose. "What do you mean very eccentric?"

Elena shifted in her seat to better stare at his face. What was the point of lying to herself about her feelings for him?

"What about your mum? I remember you always talking of your uncle but never your mum." Damon asked again as soon as the silence lasted more than a moment.

Elena drove restless fingers into her hair, sliding them down the long strands. "I'm sure I told you I grew up with John."

"That part, yes. What you never told me was why."

Oh. Yeah. That wasn't something she would like talking about. "I told you about my mother Miranda."

"You told me you never lived with her. And that you didn't really like talking about her because it was uncomfortable for you," Damon said, reminding her of every word she had said every time he tried to have a conversation with her regarding her family. "I didn't mind waiting until you were ready to talk, but I never actually forgot that a lot was left unsaid between us. All of it from your side."

"I'm not really sure I want to talk about this."

"I do," Damon replied. He frowned and met her gaze. "I want to know if you going to visit your uncle before he died had anything to do with you leaving me."

Damn. If she wasn't careful, Damon would figure out all the reasons she had walked away. "You are crazy. John loved you." It was what she had been told at John's deathbed that had made Elena leave. She had to give him something before he stayed on in that mindset. "You want to know about my mother? Fine. Miranda took off when I was still an infant, which I don't like telling people. I didn't really find out much about her, John didn't like to speak of her, until I was in college. Miranda was a sick woman. Very sick."

Her chest tightened as pain clawed at her. Memories of finding out about her mother's illness made her gut clench. Intense throbbing for the woman she had never gotten to see until she had already died spread like wildfire in her heart.

Damon's hands tightened on the wheel. His jaw clenched, and Elena realized he could probably scent her pain.

"Enough about me. I see you went to the academy like you had always wanted."

Damon glanced at her. Those ever-changing eyes darkened. "You did too."

True. "Yeah, but it ended up being something I hadn't expected for me."

"Why?"

How did they end up on her again? Elena thought. She couldn't tell him that her need to be near him had somehow fed her decision to join the academy. She had wanted to know what he was up to. Reality was, Elena had never stopped loving him. Ever. But life was harsh. The things she had learned about her family had stopped all thoughts of marriage and kids. Damon deserved better.

Elena cleared her throat. "I wanted to help people. That was all." Not even close to all, but she would leave it at that.

The sign welcoming them to Holy Oaks neared. Navy blue with a waterfall the locals considered their natural wonder. The sign had rust spread all over and graffiti over the word Holy to say Hell instead.

"We are here." Now to find her cousin and leave before her feelings for Damon pushed her into admitting too much about the past or even worse, doing things she would later regret.


	6. Chapter FIVE

Damon drove down the main street, through the small residential streets and down a dirt road.

"I'm sorry about Maxfield and the Kyler Jones' case." Elena cleared her throat. "I knew you had found the child, but I didn't realize he hadn't told you we would go in to retrieve her."

"It took longer because Erica is on her honeymoon, and we didn't get a chance to meet most of the family for a few days."

Elena leaned on the head rest. "That was a very difficult case. I don't think anyone expected for the uncle to be the one who had abducted the little girl."

Damon remembered the moment Bonnie had done a medical background check on the entire family. Her thoughts on the uncle were what drove Damon to call Maxfield and the local PD on the case.

"Why were you surprised?"

"I was shocked that the man had taken the little girl hostage." Elena pinned him with her gaze. "He was going to kill her."

"He had a history of mental illness."

"That nobody bothered to tell us about." Elena ran her hands through her hair. "Until Bonnie looked up everyone's medical history. What made you decide it was him?"

The road narrowed, until they were caged in between two rows of trees.

"There are people who know they are practicing evil things and don't care. But then there are those who practice evil and truly believe they are doing good. Those people are the most dangerous people you can meet. That man was mentally ill. He believed in the hallucinations he had that told him to kill the child to save her soul."

Elena swallowed hard. "It is your quick thinking that saved Kyler. When I entered the house, the man's eyes…they were empty." Sadness drifted from her side of the vehicle. "He walked into the flames, all the while telling me he would return to save her."

"You saved her. You took her out of harm's way." Damon grabbed her hand, lifted it to his mouth and brushed his lips over her palm. "Some evils can be destroyed. Some hide so deep, so well, it takes something big for it to come out."

Elena blinked. He heard her heartbeat increase in gallops. She inhaled sharply and glanced away from him to the road. The further they went, the more she gave him directions, until they reached a secluded house. Paint peeled on the outside of the house. A bright red convertible sat on the paved driveway.

Damon slowly pulled up next to the sports car and turned to Elena. His chest tightened. He hated that sadness on her face. Her head was cocked to the side as she took in the house. He wondered what she thought at that moment. Not that he couldn't peek into her mind, he could. He had never done that to her. Her thoughts and memories were private. If and when she chose to share them with him…then h would hear them.

Elena glanced at the house in concentration. "I don't remember this house too well. But whenever I think of it, a sick sensation grows in the pit of my stomach."

Her words were low, as if she had been speaking to herself, but he had been able to hear. He did have the hearing that allowed him to hear much more than just talking in the area.

"And whose house is this?"

Elena jerked her face toward him. A forlorn smile spread over her lips. "It was John's. I was told we had lived here when I was small, but the only time I remember this house clearly was five years ago when I came for my mother's funeral."

The house was very old. With a Victorian construction, but a paint job from hell. Dark-grey shutters covered the windows. What was supposed to be an inviting porch appeared to be rotted wood. There was no way that was stable.

"It is not as bad as it seems." Elena patted his leg.

Damon grabbed her wrist so fast her pulse tripped under his fingers. Elena met his gaze. Her eyes widened. There it was. The widening of her pupils. The scent of her arousal filled the car. No matter what happened in the past, no matter what came out of her gorgeous full lips, one thing was clear: she was still his. And he planned on taking his mate back.

The animal inside growled. He couldn't take her yet. The last time they had been together, he had been worried about being too rough with her, too much for her. Not anymore. She was his.

"Damon, let me go."

 _Never,_ Damon said to himself. He would never let her get away again. He had to find out what drove her from him in the first place to ensure it wouldn't happen again. Elena Gilbert was the only woman he had wanted for over a decade. Now that she was in his life, there was no need to fill every second with a case in order to stop thinking about her.

"You are mine."

Elena licked her lips and glanced down at his mouth. Heat crowded her smooth skin, creating blotches of pink on her cheeks.

"Damon…"

Damon rubbed his thumb back and forth over her tripping pulse. "I can wait. I have waited this long. But make no mistake, this time, I'm not letting you go."

Elena gasped, tugging her wrist free. Fire flashed in her eyes. "You can help me figure out where my cousin is, or you can go. What we had is in the past. We have a job to do."

Damon had let her believe that, for now. In time, she would come to realize that he was a different man. Movement diverted his attention. A woman with black hair slid out of the sports car.

"That is the realtor I hired. She is the sheriff's wife. She has been overseeing things for me."

"What things?" Damon frowned, watching the woman wobble on her heels.

Elena made a face filled with distaste while staring at the rundown house. "I'm trying to sell it."

"How long have you been trying to sell?"

"About a year." She sighed. "Now I see why it hasn't sold. I didn't even know I owned this place until she contacted me."

That didn't sound right. "Didn't your aunt know?"

Elena turned troubled eyes his way. "Jenna…has a lot of things going on in her mind. John said I shouldn't ever bother her."

Surprise filled him. This was her family. John had always been close to her uncle. For her to be told not to interact with a relative sounded strange even to him.

"She is your aunt."

Elena shrugged. "She is a little strange. The last time I saw her was for John's funeral in our old house. She showed up, dropped some flowers on the casket, and left. Didn't say a word the few minutes she was there."

"Hi! Elena?" The woman knocked on Elena's window.

Damon jumped out of the SUV, rushing to the other side to open her door.

Elena's brows dipped low. She took his offered hand and used it to get out of the SUV.

"Yes, I'm Elena."

"I am so happy to finally meet you." The woman gushed, shaking Elena's hand excitedly. "I'm April Young, the realtor you have been talking to about the house. Thank goodness I get to put a face to the name, finally. Conference calls don't really do much for getting to know a person."

Elena scrunched her nose. "No. Conference calls are really impersonal."

April turned to Damon. Curiosity lit in her gaze. "Is this your boyfriend?"

Subtlety was clearly not something she knew.

"Co-worker," Damon replied, unwilling to give the nosy woman information.

"Damon Salvatore. April Young." Elena introduced him to April. "Damon, April is the realtor I told you about."

Elena squeezed between them, marching to the front entrance of the house. She stopped a few feet from the broken-down steps leading to the door.

"I see you haven't gotten a chance to fix the outside."

Elena rushed up to Elena's side, attempting not to trip over the small rocks in her sky-high spiked red heels. Damon shook his head. He didn't understand why women tried to walk in what looked like torture devices. That had been one thing he had liked about Elena, she had worn heels only on special occasions, and after a while she would walk around barefoot claiming she couldn't stand them.

Hell. Elena looked good wearing whatever. He couldn't compare her with other women.

"I know it looks bad," April bit her lip, frowning at the peeling yellow paint on the house's exterior.

Bad? Damon frowned as he looked at the house. The place was a hazard. He couldn't sense anything from the house. It was as though it had been alone for so long that all signs of life were gone. He couldn't let her go inside without checking it out first.

"What have you gotten a chance to do?" Elena clenched her jaw. Her fingers curled into her palms in a display of aggravation.

"Oh, the inside is lovely. We cleared out all the old furniture and made repairs. We even put in a hot tub in the master bedroom. I know I didn't get a chance to do the outside yet, but you will see that this is not as bad as you think."

Damon doubted it. The whole damn place appeared to be falling apart. "Do you have keys?"

April flushed. With a shaky hand, she dug the keys out of her red bag, red tipped nails curled around the plastic key ring. "Here you are, but we can all go in together."

"No."

April jumped at his growled response, her eyes wide with shock. "O-okay."

"Damon needs to check things out first," Elena replied, frowning at Damon at the same time she tried to soothe the other woman's nervous stuttering.

Beads of sweat trickled down his spine with each step he took away from Elena. Logic dictated he ensure the place was safe for her to enter, but the animal inside didn't want to go far. Thick energy pulsed in his palms, reminding him that he was stronger than anything in the vicinity.

Rounding a corner, Damon went past the dried rose bushes, towards the backside of the house. A ladder lay on its side, splattered with white paint. Further down the path, he could see the windows had been replaced. Around the south side of the house, he encountered the rear porch. Two raggedy old rocking chairs sat facing the yard. Still, he didn't get a single negative sensation.

"Phew!" April chuckled. "He is a hottie."

"Yes, I know," Elena murmured.

"So…is he single?" April's voice hushed in a whisper.

"No! No, he is not. He is married. Very, very married," Elena's tone was annoyed.

"Really?" April sighed. "That is too bad. He is hot as hell. I have some friends who would have loved to meet him."

Damon grinned, imagining the frown on Elena's face or the soft growling she did when she was pissed. That growling got them into some very heated moments in bed. His body thrummed with memories of her hands on him. Holy hell. Great time for him to remember that sex between them could have burned a couple of cities.

"Yes, really. He is married. Happily married."

Damon chuckled at how quickly Elena had answered April's question. He knew she was lying, and he knew the reason. She was jealous. He grinned a self-satisfied smile to himself. It was about damn time.

"Oh darn," April groaned. "All the good ones always are."

"Right. So, what can you tell me about Roxy's disappearance?"

 _Nice,_ Elena thought. She went straight for what they came for.

"Not much, really. I don't socialize with Jenna or her daughter."

"But do you know anything?" Elena pressed.

"In a small town like Holy Oaks, everyone knows everyone's business."

That was probably one of the best ways to gather information on the missing Roxy, depend on gossip to fill in blanks.

"What can you tell me, April?" Elena pleaded softly.

"I know she was dating the preacher's boy, Josh Landley."

Damon did a full circle of the house, entering through the rear door and walking toward the front. Everything was quiet. Dead. Nothing negative lived in the house, or he would know. The power skimming over his pores shook the foundation, but no evil burst free. They could stay there for the night.


	7. Chapter SIX

Elena wanted to slap April Young. The moment Damon appeared through the front entrance, the woman's face lit up with excitement.

"Josh Landley is a teenager, just like Roxy, right?"

April nodded, still staring at Damon. Her smile grew with each step he took towards them. Elena glanced at him. His eyes roamed her body from head to toe. A slow shiver raced down her spine. How could he decide to give her that kind of stare with the first woman she met in Holy Oaks watching him?

"We can go in."

April giggled. "I should think so. I have been overseeing the remodelling of this house. All is as it should be."

Elena growled. The woman in front of her was so close to being told to take a hike it was unreal. Unfortunately, she needed information from April.

"You were saying Roxy was dating Josh Landley?"

April nodded at Damon. "Yes, but his mother, Theresa Landley, didn't want her son dating Jenna's daughter."

"Oh?" Damon asked, joining in the conversation.

April really needed to stop ogling Damon, or she was going to end up in a body bag. Elena watched as April widened her eyes and threw him a flirty smile.

"Yes, it is true. Theresa felt that Jenna is just way too weird for her only child to be dating her daughter. She always says she is concerned their relationship will grow into something she will have to put an end to."

Interesting. If Theresa Landley interfered with Josh and Roxy, it could have been a reason for the girl to go missing. Maybe nursing a broken heart somewhere. Theresa Landley was someone Elena would need to talk to about the missing teen. Not that Roxy was deemed missing by authorities just yet. That was their next stop.

"But they were dating casually, weren't they?"

April shrugged. "I suppose. I don't think that made any difference with Theresa. She is obsessed with setting a good example in the community. Having little Josh date the daughter of the town weirdo wasn't part of the vision."

And probably not part of her future plans either. Elena wanted to pull out her pad and take notes, but she knew it would stop April from giving them any further information if she felt she was being interrogated.

"Do you know of anyone else we should talk to?" Elena tried to divert April from staring at Damon's muscled body before she snapped at the woman.

"I would say talk to Josh. He is the best clue you have."

"Thanks for coming by, April," Elena spit through gritted teeth, watching April smiled flirtatiously at Damon while heading for her car.

"If you need anything, just call me."

They waved her away. April's red convertible skidded on the road, lifting dust as she did a quick U-turn, flashing red taillights on her way down toward the main street.

Elena inhaled and grabbed her bag from the SUV to enter her house. After dropping her overnight unceremoniously on top of one of her new sofas, she hopped in Damon's vehicle.

"Take me to Aunt Jenna's house. You can leave me there and check out the station while I question her."

"You don't want me there with you?"

Elena shook her head. "Jenna is very peculiar. Okay, she is darned strange, and doesn't take well to new people. So, it is best if I chat with her."

"I will go talk to the local police and see what they have to say, then."

Elena nodded. The roar of the engine snapped her attention to the present and away from the murderous thoughts over April Young's staring of Damon.

"So," he started.

Elena glanced over to see a wicked smile caress his lips. "So?"

"Married, huh?"

Elena knew she shouldn't have said that. Even if Damon was several yards away he could easily hear her. But the green monster of jealousy had reared its ugly head, and the last thing she wanted was to think of him with any other woman. Especially not a friend of April Young's.

"You were eavesdropping," Elena chastised. "That is not something I expected of you, Damon Salvatore."

Damon laughed. That rich powerful laugh that turned all her bones to liquid and made her heart beat double time. "I can't help listening. You know I have sensitive ears."

"Yes, I know all about the beast and the special skills that come along with it." Elena also knew about the incredible sex and unbelievable power only he had. No one could go against him. And she was his boss. _What a joke,_ she thought. "I was in a relationship with you, in case you have forgotten." She felt frustrated enough to bring that up. "So, I do know about your special skills, your beast, your hearing, your strength. I also know the other side of you." She watched his eyes turn a bright crimson. "The side your dear mother passed on to you."

"Elena…"

"All those skills. Smell, sight, sound, and here I am, your leader. I really think I'm being punked with this assignment."

"Elena…"

"You have so much strength and power that can help lead this team," she rambled on, "but I have nothing."

"Elena…"

"Seeing the future in bits and pieces means nothing when you can't decipher it!"

Damon slammed on the brakes, put the SUV in park, and turned to her. Breaths pounded in her chest as Elena watched his red eyes turn fully black. Lord, oh lord, how the sight turned her on. This was how he looked like when he was tense or angry. She knew his other beast—the powerful darkness living right below his skin—was pushing to get out. Pushing to be set free. And damn it all to hell, she knew having that part of him in control had burned some amazing memories into her brain.

In the time it took her to take a rushed breath, his face was mere inches away. A buzz started in her veins. Elena licked her lips, and Damon clenched his jaw. This was the beast combined with the other side. The side she loved to have come out and play. Combined with his animal, the dark side had given her orgasms worthy of an award or a star in the walk of fame. The scent of his cologne, dark and sensual with just a hint of spice, set her hormones into a frenzy.

Elena sat there, transfixed by the pure hunger, pure possession in his eyes.

Damon lifted a finger and rubbed it over her lower lip. "None of those things mean anything to me if you are not by my side."

"Damon…" His name sounded like a plea from her lips.

"I want you," he growled. Deep. Hard.

Elena swallowed hard. Real hard. Every cell woke at the sound of his rough words. Worst of all, Damon knew the effect he had on her.

"I…" Elena struggled to find something other than, "please take me now" to say. There was a reason she left, and she wouldn't—as much as it tore her apart piece-by-piece—change her mind.

Hell. She needed to keep her head. No matter how much she loved him, she wasn't the woman for him. After clearing her throat a few times, she blinked away the visuals of tearing away his clothes and licking every inch of hot muscular skin.

Damon ran his hand around the neckline of her tank. She dared not breathe or move for fear of jumping him. The sounds of her heartbeat filled her ears. His lips were so close. So sexy. Her gaze shot down from his gorgeous blue-grey eyes to the smirk covering his lips.

"Do it," he taunted.

Elena met his erotic gaze, a gaze that broke through all the barriers and turned her need for him into a time bomb waiting to detonate.

"Kiss me, Elena." Damon moved even closer. "You know you want to."

Hell yes, she wanted to. Elena wasn't stupid. She had been wanting his lips all over her body since the last time she had been with him. For so long Damon had been like a drug to her desperate body's cravings. Addicted. Yes, she had been hooked on him. On his body. His cock. His mouth, and oh that sinful tongue. His hands and body had helped release more endorphins in her than any amount of chocolate.

The corners of his eyes crinkled. Damon looked so damn good with that smile. Even if it was to taunt her.

Elena watched him lick his lips and lost it. One move, and she was on him. The minute their lips met it was like coming home. Instant fire blazed in her core. His tongue drove into her mouth, swiping against hers. Owning. Possessing. Branding. Arousal blanketed her body with a desperate edge. For that moment, her self-control deserted her. She curled her nails into his muscled shoulders and whimpered at the way he rubbed his tongue sensuously around her mouth. And then he was gone.

Elena bit back a groan of frustration when Damon pulled away from her. With her entire body throbbing for more of his kisses, she met his gaze. Met the dark eyes and knew by the way his features had tightened, that he had a hard time holding on to his own control.

"I want you," Damon whispered in that gravelly voice that made her panties twist into knots. "You are mine. You always will be."

Elena tried to catch her breath. Tried to ignore the truth in his words. Her mind reeled. What was wrong with her? Five years away from Damon had turned her desperate. She had abstained from sex without a problem after him. She knew he was the man, the only man, to fill her heart, body, and soul.

Christ. She couldn't believe she had almost torn at his clothes in the middle of the afternoon, in his car.

"Jenna is waiting for me."

"Why did you leave, Elena?"

Sharp pain dug its claws into her soul. Elena had left because there was no other choice. And she wouldn't change things now. "I have told you the past is the past. What we had is over. I need to speak to my aunt."

She held his gaze for a long silent moment, fighting the stronghold his blue-grey eyes had her in. It didn't matter that Damon wanted her still, or that he probably would give them another chance. What mattered was the future. Other than a co-worker, she wouldn't be in his.

Tension thickened in the SUV. Elena watched his hands curl into fists. To know he had so much power at his disposal and not once use it against her just floored her every time she thought about it. Even when she had yelled and screamed and fought him over stupid things, Damon had always been careful with her. Even now, she could see how hard it was for him to pull the power back and keep it under control. He still gazed at her as though she were the most precious thing in the world. That was why she couldn't hurt him. Because no matter what, she loved him with everything she had, but it would never be enough.

Damon turned to the road. Keeping both hands on the wheel, he gripped it in a white-knuckle hold. Without moving his hands from the leather, she felt the light caress of his fingers over her face. The urge to close her eyes and lean into it hit her hard.

"Damon, please…" Elena swallowed hard against the raw dryness in her throat. "We have work to do."

Damon sighed and started the SUV. The sensual hold she had felt moments before lightened, and she blinked as though coming out of a dream.

Elena gave him directions to her aunt's house, hoping a few minutes away from him would help her rebuild the walls she had been hiding behind.

"You can leave me here." She muttered once they reached Jenna's rundown country house. Much like Elena's home, it needed some serious repairs. Even the grass had a brownish colour to it that screamed of death.

"You are sure that is what you want?"

Elena knew what Damon was asking, but she wasn't going there. "Yes. We can cover ground faster between the two. There is a diner just down this road." She pointed towards the main street not far from Jenna's house. "I will talk to Jenna and meet you there in about an hour. I will walk it, and we can eat and see what we figure out."

His brows dipped in a frown of concern. "I can wait for you."

"No, it is ok. I will be fine, and I will see you soon." Elena jumped down from the SUV the moment he parked, slamming the door closed.

x x x

Elena knocked softly on the old wooden door. What had once been a pale-yellow paint colour was peeling from the edges to reveal the opaque wood in need of some tender loving care. The sounds of voices from inside carried through the open windows. She frowned. Jenna wasn't the type of person to socialize with anyone. She knocked again and waited. This time footsteps drew near. She took a slow breath as the door opened with a creaking sound that creeped her out a little. This was her aunt, but it wasn't like she saw Jenna regularly. They were distant. Well, Jenna's entire family history was all messed up as far she knew.

"Lena?"

Elena stared at the woman who could have been a mirror image of…her. With long brown, almost almond coloured hair and eyes, Jenna appeared to be closer to Elena's twenty-nine than an older aunt. Though she had attended Miranda's funeral, she had been draped in black from head to toe and hadn't met Elena's gaze.

"Aunt Jenna?"

"I knew you would come." Jenna smiled. A small dimple appeared on her right cheek.

"I want to help you find Roxy."

"Come inside." Jenna's soft voice even sounded a little like hers.

It was freaky as hell. She followed the other woman through the old house. Plastic covered sofas in brown flower prints were placed facing each other in the living room. A large wood desk sat by one of the windows with the day's mail waiting to be opened. Old photos hung on the hallway. Of Elena's mother.

Wood creaked with each step she took. A photo caught her eye. It was a side by side shot of her mother pregnant and then holding a baby. Something about the photos made her frown. She hadn't seen that one before, but it looked strange.

"I will make tea," Jenna said from the kitchen.

Elena's attention snapped to the present. She wasn't there to reminisce. Besides, that wasn't really something she wanted to think about anyway.

She pulled out the notepad she carried from her bag and sat down by the kitchen table, laying her paper on the table cover.

"Can you tell me what happened to Roxy?" Elena asked, watching Jenna face away from her to set the tea kettle.

Jenna's hands shook. She shoved them repeatedly into the apron over her long, brown dress. "She shouldn't have been seeing that boy," Jenna whispered so low she had a hard time making out her words. She wiped at the already clean kitchen counter with a rag in quick strokes.

"Josh Landley?" Elena said the name April Young had given her.

Jenna's fingers curled into fists, squeezing the rag. "That boy is trouble. His whole family is. The father. The mother. They are evil."

She waited for Jenna to continue, but instead of talking, Jenna returned to wiping the clean counter.

"Did you have an argument with her? Did something happen to make her want to leave? Has she done this before?"

Jenna shook her head in denial. "It was that boy. He did this. He caused this. She was a good girl. Until him. He took her from me."

The hairs on her arms stood on end. The way she said the words made it sound like her daughter wasn't just missing.

"How long has she been seeing Josh?" Elena took notes.

"Too long."

Not very helpful. It was obvious to a blind person Jenna didn't like Josh Landley. Now she needed to figure out why. And if he could know where Roxy could be.

"Have the police been here yet?"

Another negative shake of the head. "They think she left because I'm crazy."

Damn. "Did they say that?"

Jenna stopped then, turned to her, and cocked her head with a sombreness to her features. "They didn't have to. Everyone thinks I'm crazy."

Not really what Elena wanted to discuss. "It has been more than twenty-four hours, and they still haven't looked for her?"

Jenna stared deep into her eyes. So deep it made her uncomfortable. It was like looking into a mirror. Only a much more disturbing image of what she might look like in the future. "No. They won't either."

 _Okay. Enough chit chat,_ Elena reminded herself. "Show me her room. I need to search around and see if I find anything that can help us locate her."

She followed Jenna towards Roxy's room. Jenna stopped at the door, as if afraid to enter, and pointed inside. "Everything is still the same."

A cold chill seeped into her bones, down to the marrow. "Thanks. I will do my best to find where she could be."

Jenna gave her another of those searching frowns before walking away. Yeah, it was official. Her family definitely had problems.

Roxy's room was impeccably clean for a teenager. She must take after her mother. Hell, the whole house was so clean it put Elena's place into the pigsty realm. She was surprised there were so few things to indicate a teenager lived there. No photos or anything colourful. The room was decorated in a navy blue that made her scrunch her nose. She loved blue, but the whole set up in there appeared to be out of an impersonal hotel.

Where were the photos, perfumes, knick knacks? Nothing. There was nothing to indicate that a teen had been in that room for a day, much less for years.

Elena sighed. And did a slow walk around the bed. There had to be something. Walking toward the dresser, she glanced to and fro. The curtains were pulled open, and the sun began to set. She would need to hurry if she was going to meet up with Damon in time. Stopping in front of the dresser, she glanced at herself in the mirror. A frown marred her brows. Pulling drawer after drawer open, she was careful to search for anything that could give her a clue to where Roxy could have gone. After rummaging through all the drawers, she knew there was nothing. Frustration started to mount inside her. There was a reason the girl was gone. She had to find out what it was. With a sigh, she sat down at the edge of the hard bed. How could Roxy sleep on that thing? It was rock hard.

Elena glanced over to the bedside table. An angel figurine and the usual children's guardian angel prayer on a plate stood facing the bed. The angel wasn't just any angel. It was a figurine of archangel Michael defeating Lucifer. By far one of the weirdest things she had ever seen on a bedside table. Then again, her whole family was more than a little strange.

With a gentle tug, she opened the single drawer on the bedside table. Graded exams and papers filled it. The scores were perfect. Roxy was a very smart girl. Paper after paper she saw proof of her intelligence. When she was done going through them, a pile sat on the bed next to her. Staring at the empty drawer brought her another sense of sorrow. This was her cousin. She had never really taken the time to get to know the girl.

A dull throbbing took hold of her chest. If only she hadn't been so caught up with how her family history had affected her. Maybe then she would have made an attempt at closing the distance with Jenna and Roxy. But the reality was, Elena had the constant fear of living the life her mother had. And she worked really hard to keep the demons at bay.

"Where are you, Roxy?"

Ready to put the papers in the drawer, she noticed the bottom of the drawer was a lot higher than it should be. But it appeared to be perfectly put together, without any edges to pull or hidden cavities. Swallowing hard at the quick beating of her heart, she yanked the drawer out of the table. And flipped it over. Jackpot.

A hollow underside on the drawer allowed for Roxy to have a book holder with a journal hidden away from prying eyes. Probably her mother's. Finally, something to show for the girl. Glancing over her shoulder, to make sure she was still alone, she removed the journal carefully from the plastic holder.

Elena shoved the journal in her bag and hopped to her feet. A moment later, Jenna, wearing a black piece of lace on her head, jerked opened the door.

"I'm going to church service now." The sad smile she gave Elena, with her lips quivering, tugged at her heart.

"I'm going too. I will go check out the police station, and then see about talking to Roxy's boyfriend."

Jenna glanced away, stepping away from the entrance. "It is his fault she is gone."

 _Poor woman,_ she thought. "Don't worry," Elena said, leaving the room and heading down the stairs to the front door behind Jenna. "I will find out where she went."


	8. Chapter SEVEN

Damon walked into the small police station having already noted how under equipped the place was. The front door was open, and only one person manned the place.

"Can I help you?"

Rookie. He could smell the kid's eagerness a mile away. Not to mention the way he tried to add authority to his voice.

"Damon Salvatore, FBI. I called earlier." He pulled out his identifications and showed the officer.

The kid's eyes went wide, and a new interest sparked. "I spoke to you, sir. Kevin Waters." He shoved out a hand for Damon to shake. "You wanted to know about Roxy Santos."

"I understand she is missing."

The kid shrugged his scrawny shoulders. "Yeah, but with a crazy mum, I would be too. Sheriff thinks she is just rebelling and hanging out with some friends for a few days."

Right. Sounded like sheriff wasn't doing his job. "Has no one taken into account that this girl has never been missing before?"

Waters shrugged again. A slow sizzle started in Damon's hands. He knew the dark side was pushing the angrier he got. But he couldn't help it with incompetents like Waters and the Sheriff assuming the girl was with friends and not bothering to search for her at all.

"Sheriff Young thinks she will show up in a day or two, and her mother is being…" he raised a hand and motioned a finger in circles by his ear. "Nuts," he whispered.

"What if she is not with friends?"

Waters went bug eyed. "Then she is really missing."

What the hell? If this was the kind of police force they had in Holy Oaks, he and Elena were on their own.

"So…" Waters stared him up and down. Taking in Damon's much larger build and height. "You here to find her?"

"Unless you know where she is?"

Waters shook his head. "Nah. But her boyfriend might know. Josh Landley. Or her ex-boyfriend, Luis Gomez. She kept going back and forth between the two."

 _Interesting,_ Damon thought. He leaned forward, hunching his frame to take away some of the intimidation he scented from the kid. "How do you know this?"

"My cousin, Carey Torrent, she is dating Luis now. But she used to go out with Josh before." He grinned. "It is like they just decided to switch partners suddenly, and Josh and Roxy hooked up and Carey and Luis."

"Do you know why?"

Waters pulled out a stick of gum and popped it in his mouth. "Nope. They are kids," he said as if he were that much older. "Carey said she got tired of Josh, and apparently Luis and Roxy were on a break. Whatever that means."

"Anyone else you think would know where we can find Roxy?"

Waters chewed his gum with his mouth wide open. He did a perfect imitation of a cow eating grass. "She did some cleaning for the Landleys. It is how she hooked up with Josh."

"And you know this?"

"I told you. Cousin. Carey. She was always complaining about that girl. Everything she did bothered her."

"Thanks for your help." Damon turned to go when he heard Waters call out to him.

"Hey, wait, I have another question."

Damon mid-turned and glanced at the young officer. "What?"

"What happens if you don't find her?"

He didn't detect any actual evil coming from the kid. Just curiosity. "We will find her," he said. "You can bet on that."

Marching out of the station, Damon noticed the sun had gone down in the time he had been chatting with the rookie. Elena filled his mind. Her soft brown eyes and that smile that made the blood sizzle in his veins. The animal inside him wanted near her. The wolf he carried paced restlessly. And the beast from his dark side, it wanted her naked as soon as possible. Both liked their mate's presence. Her scent and that intoxicating aroma whenever she was aroused. So yeah, he was going to run over to be by her side, even if he broke a few speeding laws.

He pressed the speaker phone and dialled the one person he needed to talk to on his team.

"Damon?" Bonnie answered the phone on the first ring.

"Everything is okay?"

"Yeah, no problem." He heard her mutter a curse. "Except your buddy Enzo is driving me nuts at times."

"I understand. Do what you have to do. Call if you need me."

She sighed on the other end of the line. "Thank you so much. I try my best not to kill him before you return."

Damon had known Bonnie for the three years that she had been on his team, and she was efficient and organised. Meticulous, that was how Enzo described her. But somehow Bonnie and Enzo just couldn't get along without arguing and criticizing each other.

"Okay. Stay in touch."

"Thanks, boss."

The small diner Damon had agreed to meet Elena at was encased in darkness. One street lamp outside the place illuminated it with a low, yellow glow. A large, half-lit sign that read "Joe's Place" helped brighten the parking area. A handful of older model cars sat scattered in the lot. He headed inside and noticed the instant quiet. Taking in several booths, he finally found Elena seated at the back of the place frowning down at something. The beasts inside him wanted to touch her again. Their mate.

He marched towards her booth and almost tripped when she glanced up and smiled. The wolf pushed at the skin, and the power he had been holding at bay lit his fingertips.

"Hey, any luck?" Her husky voice turned him hard in a heartbeat.

"Maybe." Damon slid into the booth across from her, watched her eyes roam his face before moving down to his chest and stopping at his hands.

"Hungry?"

 _You have no idea, baby,_ Damon thought. She must have seen something in his eyes because the scent of her arousal tickled his nostrils.

"Damon," Elena whispered and glanced around them. "Stop that. Your eyes are turning colours, and the last thing we need is to draw undue attention."

"I can't help it, darling. You make the beast want to come out of me." He grinned.

Her face turned a sexy shade of red under her skin and the arousal scent thickened. She had always liked it when he spoke of his inability to control himself because of her. It wasn't a lie either. Elena was the only woman in the world he would lose control over. And he didn't even care.

"Well…" She gulped. "This isn't the time for that."

Damon reined in his need for her. Pushed the beasts to their hiding places and willed his erection away. That last one was the hardest.

"What did you find out?" he asked.

"Huh? What?"

Elena muttered under her breath, thinking he hadn't made out her words.

A chuckled escaped him.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What is so funny?"

"The fact that I make you brain dead."

"Stop listening on private conversations. It is rude."

"Sorry, darling. But you already know there are no barriers between us."

"Stop calling me darling." She rolled her eyes. "I'm your boss."

Damon grinned. "You are my everything."

"Stop that! You keep making me lose track of what we are supposed to do. Check this out." She handed him a black journal.

The book hadn't been in anyone's hands in a while. Or Damon would have sensed something other than Elena's concern. He opened the journal and found a bunch of numbers and initials all over the place.

"What is this?" He glanced up at Elena.

She winced. "I think it is Roxy's journal. Though I can't figure any of it out. It is all numbers and weird initials."

He leafed through the pages while Elena ordered her food and smiled when she ordered his favourite for him. She didn't even realize she had done it until she glanced at him after the waitress had gone and caught his smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You still like your burgers that way, right?"

Even if he didn't, he would eat it just to make her happy. "Yes."

"Good. So what do you think of this?" Elena frowned down at the book. "I thought we would find something in it but only a couple of words can be made out before she goes back to the initials."

Damon saw her bite her lip in frustration. "You know what this means, right?"

She blinked her pretty brown eyes wide. "What?"

"You are not going to leave it alone until you figure it out."

Elena laughed and sighed. "You know me so well. I will figure this out. Now tell me what you found out."

x x x

Harsh raindrops pelted over the windshield in angry thumps. Elena couldn't believe how hard it was raining by the time they got back to the house. In no time at all, the skies had opened up and let loose. The sound of thunder crackling, and lightning in the distance made her shiver. She wasn't a fan of storms.

"Tell me why you left?" Damon broke the silence.

"Are we on this again?" There was no way in hell she was talking about the reasons she left five years ago.

"Yes."

"Let it go."

"Not a chance, darling."

Every time Damon called her darling, her stomach flip-flopped and a warm feeling spread inside her.

"I told you I don't want to talk about it."

"You knew how I felt," he said, voice rough.

Elena glanced at his face and saw his eyes blaze red. _Uh-oh, this is not good,_ she thought. She waited until he stopped the SUV completely before hopping out into the heavy rain. Took less than a minute for her clothes to soak and cling to her skin for dear life. She ran for the door, shoving a shaky hand into her cross-body bag, searching for the key. Water poured down from the heavens in thick blankets, and she wondered if this was a sign she was in over her head with Damon. By the time she found her keys, she heard the door from his side slam closed. Rushing in without a single glance over her shoulder, she tried to head for her room, but was stopped.

Damon wrapped a hand around her arm and tugged her until her back hit the door he had just closed and his wet body plastered to hers.

Air froze in her lungs. Elena opened her mouth to tell him to move. To get out of the way, but somehow the only thing that came out was a soft whimper. "Damon…"

Booming thunder sounded at the same time his lips came crashing down on hers. He kissed her fully. As if he wanted to devour her lips and consume her. Driving his tongue into the recesses of her mouth, he held her captive. Every move he made only added gasoline to the raging fire in her blood. Then those hands she knew better than her own were on her. Touching. Branding. Bringing out the feelings of belonging to him she had tried to fight. But it was useless. This man—this hybrid, was the only one who made her feel…anything.

Material tore as he tugged on her pants, but she didn't care. It had always been like this with them. Wild. Untamed. So hot it pulverized her brain cells. She tore her mouth from his and glanced into his blue-grey eyes. He licked his lips, and her inside quivered.

"Damon."

"No," Damon ordered. "No more fighting this. No more fighting me. No more fighting us."

Elena inhaled, watching his claws extend to caress her collar bone and down to the V-line of her T-shirt. Those claws slid through the shirt like a sharp knife on soft butter. Within a heartbeat, she was panting, and her breasts were bared to him. It was hard to control the urge to attack him when her body clamoured to be possessed by him. To be his again and again. Now. Right now.

The claws continued their downward path until she was fully naked and tatters of what were once her clothes floated to her ankles.

She watched his nose flare, and her throat went dry.

"You are beautiful. Perfect."

"Damon…"

"I have missed you." The words were a hushed growl. Yet, there was so much passion in them. So much emotion. "I have wanted to be with you, in you, every night for the past five years."

The wall around her heart took a beating with that statement. Elena had wanted to be with him too. And while she knew this wouldn't last—it couldn't—she would take this night. No matter what she believed, she knew, deep down, she belonged to him. Always would.

Damon struck fast, latching on to a nipple and sucked. Dear God, that felt so amazing. Elena couldn't hold the loud moan from escaping her throat. Nor could she keep her fingers from threading through his hair and gripping the strands tight. He grunted and sucked harder. She felt her arousal crawled down her thighs in a hot wet trail.

He squeezed one breast while sucking the other, but he didn't stop there. The amazing torture continued. He slid a hand down her body and managed to make his way between her legs. With a gentle flick, he rubbed a finger between her slick folds.

"Oh, good lord!"

He bit and she groaned. Then he flicked his tongue back and forth on her nipple at the same time he put pressure on her clit, rubbing the pleasure centre in quick circular motions.

The speed and intensity of her orgasm caught her by surprise. Elena screamed loud, hanging on to him as her body vibrated with the wave of pleasure rushing through her. The floor shook, and she knew things were only going to get better from there.

Her legs shook, ready to give out under her. There was no time to hesitate. Damon lifted her body as if she weighed next to nothing. As if she weren't a big girl who had more than a few pounds on her. His arm muscles bunched while he held her up against the door. She curled her legs around his waist and locked her feet behind him.

He slid into her in a single powerful thrust. Deep. So deep she felt his cock stretch her muscles taut.

"Oh!" The gasp tore from her throat at the same time he pulled back and plunged in.

Damon kissed her lips, her jaw, her neck, licking repeatedly at the bend connecting her neck and throat.

"Elena," he growled.

"Damon. God, Damon, I missed you so much," Elena panted out between thrusts. Lord how amazing it felt to have him sliding in and out of her, heating her insides with his own body.

"Not. Letting. You. Go," he snarled.

That wasn't his choice to make. Now wasn't the time to debate it, though. Her body sizzled with the onslaught of pleasure from each punishing drive.

"Damon…"

"Tell me you are mine, Elena."

God, yes. She was always going to be his.

"Say the words, darling."

Her chest compressed. Liquid fire flooded her veins. She clung to him, gripping his slick shoulders tight. He bit his palms bit into her ass cheeks and squeezed.

"I…"

Another moan tore from her throat when he increased speed. He slammed his rock-hard cock into her. Again and again. She opened willingly. Taking everything he wanted to give. Each sound his body made slamming against her, every groan and growl he let out with each lick by her neck became an instant memory. All of it. She wouldn't ever forget it. They would be what would carry her forth later.

"Tell me," Damon ordered.

His teeth grazed the thudding pulse at the base of her neck. "If you don't tell me you are mine, I will stop right here and right now."

What? No! Instead of answering him, Elena yanked on his hair until he met her gaze. His eyes were glowing red with a rim of black. Both his beasts sat just below the surface. It was dangerous and hot as hell.

Their lips meshed in a hot, tongue-tangling kiss. Oh how the man kissed, combining his thrusts into her mouth with the ones into her sex. He swept into her mouth and owned her. He kicked down every one of the flimsy barriers around her heart and proceeded to claim her in one fell swoop.

He thrust harder. Harder still, and slipped a hand between their slick bodies, down to her clit, and pressed on her pleasure nub. Goose bumps broke over her skin. Her blood scorched her veins. The tension in her core broke, shattering into a million fragments of lights behind her lids.

Elena screamed into their kiss. She gripped tight at his cock, contracting against his driving shaft. Pleasure cascaded through each of her limbs. She tore her mouth away from him, gasping air into her burning lungs. She rode the hedonistic wave of desire until she could catch her breath.

"Damn!" Damon snarled, pulling away from her.

With her mind still reeling from the unbelievable orgasm, she was caught off guard when he pulled from inside her and took a handful of steps to drape her over one of the large arms to her new sofa. She lay there, still shuddering with the force of her release. He leaned over her, and instinct drove her movements. She pressed her ass up, looking for his stiff erection. He spread her legs and pushed his way into her again.

"Damon, please…" Elena wasn't sure what she was asking for, but him being all hard and thick inside her without moving, wasn't right. It wasn't enough.

"Say you are mine."

His voice floated across her neck, heating every pore it touched.

Damon propelled back, almost pulling fully out, and then pressed in again—slowly. Too slowly.

"Don't stop," she panted, nails curling into one of the flowery sofa cushions.

He pressed kisses over the back of her shoulder, licking the area in circles. She didn't know that was an erogenous zone, but it had to be. Her body started to shiver with each swipe of his tongue. Tension mounted at her core.

"I'm not moving until you say you are mine."

"What the hell!" Elena growled, frustrated at his lack of movement. "Yes! I'm yours. I will always be yours and nobody else's. You and only you own me. Heart, body, and soul. Are you happy now." She wiggled her ass. "Now, take me—"

Damon drove into her so fast she lost her breath. She clawed at the cushion, until he pulled her hands behind her and held her still.

"You are mine," he growled. "Mine to taste." He licked her shoulder again. "Mine to take," he snarled thrusting harder and faster.

She mewled. Oxygen pounded hard in her ears. It was almost impossible to hear him over the beats of her heart.

"Mine to own," he said roughly.

Tension scorched her muscles and held them in a choke hold. The sound of skin slapping, her moans, and his growls reverberated around the house. If they'd had neighbours nearby, everyone would know what they were doing.

"Mine to mate," he whispered by her ear.

Her body lost its fight against the knot winding inside her. She screamed into the cushions, riding the pleasure wave again while he plunged hard into her sex. He struck then. He bit into the back of her shoulder with his teeth just as her contractions clasped him in their unyielding hold. His cock pulsed inside her, filling her with his seed.

Mini-orgasms rocked her core. And he continued coming. Not that she cared. She loved the feel of him. Loved that he wanted to be with her. In her.

It took long moments to get her brain into working order before Elena realized her shoulder hurt. He had bitten her hard. They'd had love bites before, but damn. This was new. Oh well, sex bruises were good bruises. That was what she liked to think. Not that she'd had any sex since Damon, so that was probably why she felt like her bones had liquefied.

She wasn't sure if she had died and gone to heaven or what, but her body was out of commission. There was no moving her. Even her lungs wanted some help. The soft brush of Damon's tongue on her shoulder reminded her of his animal side.

"Am I bleeding?" Elena asked, the words sounding awkward coming out of her super dry throat.

"A little. I was too rough with you." His voice was dark, almost upset.

Elena groaned, and Damon moved off her and helped her stand. She tried to peek over her shoulder, but couldn't see anything. "Don't worry about it. I know you didn't mean to hurt me."

At the first step she tried to take, her legs wobbled, and she almost fell on her very naked ass.

Damon picked her up in his arms with so much tenderness she couldn't help but smile. "Didn't your realtor say something about a hot tub?"

Elena grinned. "She did! What did you have in mind?"

"I'm taking you to relax."

"Oh," Elena didn't want to sound upset about his nice gesture. She had been sexually deprived for five years of Damon. A girl had priorities. A soak was not one of them when her sex drive was once again in action and begging for some use.

"And then to bed, where you will tell me you are mine again," Damon rubbed his nose by her ear.

"If we must," Elena sighed and curled her arms around his neck, hugging tightly to him. "What is in it for me, though?"

Damon met her gaze with his dark sensual one. "I have been without you for too long," he glanced down at her lips and kissed her softly. "I want to taste every inch of you until I can feel you quivering when you come over my mouth."

She blinked.

"That is not all. Then I'm going to make love to you until your knees give out again, and I will bury deep inside you. Really deep inside you."


	9. Chapter EIGHT

Scene after scene of the raggedy doll swam across her vision.

"She should have listened. She didn't listen. And now…now she is never going to do it again. I will teach her."

Who? The doll lay in a dark corner, as if hidden from the world.

"I will teach her to do what is right."

She couldn't make out more than those distant words. The voice was distorted. Darkness surrounded her. A thick, heavy blanket of fear and pain clawed at her throat. It was hard to breathe. Hard to think. Her vocal cords wouldn't work. She was stuck in the nightmare. The darkness grew overpowering with its evil. Almost ready to take over her, calling out for her to join it. To be a part of its destructive path.

Everything shifted in a heartbeat. The same heartbeat that thundered so loud in her chest. She saw a river. Something floated slowly in it. Like a giant log or something else. Grass crunched under feet with each step closer to the water. The sound of the rushing water helped guide her. Everything was so foggy.

Anxiety spread through her, almost paralysing her in place. She kept blinking, hoping to get the view into focus to no avail. She blinked. Her breath froze in her chest. The scene changed again. Water surrounded her now. No longer by the edge, she was smack in the middle of the river, water lapping at her sides. The thing floating was a body. And she couldn't make out the face, but she did see a tattoo clearly. It was a purple rose the size of a quarter.

Then she was gone.

Elena's phone ringing jerked her out of her dream. She gasped, sitting up in a rush.

Damon's arm tightened around her waist. "Are you okay, darling?"

Elena smiled into the darkness. Though thick with sleep, she heard the concern in his question.

"I'm okay. I just need to take this call," she said and tried to reach over him for the cell on the bedside table.

He turned on the lamp by the bed and passed her the cell phone.

"Elena?" It was Caroline

"I'm here. Tonight was a little better than normal."

"Tell me. What did you see?"

Their routine. Elena closed her eyes and went through the details of her dream with her friend.

"This is the second time you have dreamed of the doll."

"I know," she murmured, aware that Damon was sitting next to her, rubbing a hand up and down her back without saying a word.

"It is very significant. What about the girl? Is it your cousin?"

"No, I don't know who she was or why I dreamed of her." She leaned into Damon's touch. The heat from his body called her closer, to bask in his strength and have no fear.

"Remember, your dreams are special. You can't force them," Caroline said. "You have to let them tell you the story."

Elena breathed. "I know. I will relax."

"Alright. Have a good night, dear. I will speak to you later."

"You too, Caroline."

She leaned further into Damon's embrace, curling into his arms and rubbing her leg up and down his.

"Nightmare?"

"Vision. A pretty clear one as opposed to my usual, but it freaked me out a little."

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you," he promised, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

A smile tugged at her lips and joy at her heart. Damon would never let anything happen to her, and he didn't even need to say the words for her to know that. Maybe it was time she started rethinking the idea of being his boss. Leaving him once was hard. But leaving him again, that would kill her from the inside.

x x x

Elena cleared her throat. She watched Damon over the rim of her cup. Her body was still quivering from the way they had come together. When his gaze rose from the diary to meet hers, she almost groaned. His eyes were bright with his animal's power, and the pull he had always had on her intensified after he had bitten her. He had never done that before.

"Have you made out anything from these?"

Elena blinked her very dirty mind to focus. Last night was over. So was the time in the hot tub. This morning in the hot tub. And the shower. The bed too. All four times. Crap. She really needed something to control her new nympho status. "I think so."

With a soft clinking, she placed the coffee cup down on the table. Pointed to the page Damon had opened. "Those are clearly initials. Based on some of the names we already have, I would say they belong to first and last names. I'm not sure what the middle underlined letters, or the numbers beside them stand for."

The ringing of his cell phone made her glance at him. He had an intense frown when he answered. "Damon," he said in that rough voice that shoved her thoughts to the gutter. "When?" He rubbed a hand behind his neck and met her gaze. There was concern there. A lot of it. "Where? Okay, we will be right there."

"What is going on?" Elena asked the moment Damon ended the call. Her own cell phone buzzed quietly on the table. One glance at the screen and her mood turned sour. It was Wes Maxfield. This was the second time he called since she had gotten up. She refused to answer his calls. All his messages were the same. Wanting to make sure she was okay. She would be a hell of a lot better if he left her alone.

Damon covered her hands with his. "A teen girl's body was found by the river. They need someone to go see it. They think it might be Roxy."

Elena nodded, mind gone numb from the unexpected message and stood. "I have seen photos of her. I will do it."

Before Elena got a chance to step away, Damon hauled her into his arms. She had been dreading this. And now her fear was a reality. Her heart broke for her aunt Jenna and for Roxy. Elena buried her face in Damon's shirt, inhaling his scent and allowing his warmth to calm the sadness threatening to overwhelm her.

She sighed. Then glanced up to meet his worried gaze.

"I'm sorry," Damon muttered.

A thick knot threatened her ability to speak, so she ignored her earlier words and lifted on her tippy toes to brush her lips over his. "I know. Let's go see if this girl is Roxy."

Her nightmares rushed forth then. A girl's body floated in the river—lifeless. She hadn't been able to make out features in her dreams, but she had known the girl hadn't made it. The grey tone of the skin told her this was someone who wouldn't see another day. Another smile. Nothing.

Elena swallowed back the dryness in her throat. If Roxy was the girl she dreamed of, she'd have to break the news to her aunt—a woman who was already emotionally unstable.

The drive to the local hospital was tense and quiet. Her muscles ached from how stiff she held herself. If Roxy was dead, her next problem was finding out who killed her cousin. But what if it wasn't Roxy?

Damon's car took a corner at high speed, hitting a bump on the road. She bounced in her seat, ass slapping on the leather. Elena winced and bit her lip. Fear centred in her chest. Her fingers went numb from how tight she gripped the handle above her head. Acid burned its way up her throat. She shouldn't have had coffee.

The screech of brakes told her they'd arrived. She blinked out of the mental images of death and glanced up at the Holy Oaks Hospital.

They went through the main hospital entrance in hopes someone would be able to direct them to the morgue.

Elena inhaled slowly. She hated this part of her job. Hated it. Seeing lifeless corpses weren't something new to her, but it still sucked every time. They were directed to take an elevator to the sub level and sign in.

A guard sat there. His short buzz-cut appeared freshly done. A kid. The young buck's unhappiness was clear. He didn't want to be there. He played with the buttons on his radio with a frown. "Can I help you?"

Elena was about to open her mouth when Damon showed the guard his badge. "We are here to see the body of the young girl found today," he answered, threading their fingers together and holding her hand hostage.

"Is Dr Fell expecting you?"

"Yes," Elena cleared her throat. "We are here to see about identifying the body the police found late last night."

At that moment, a door opened. The metal slapped concrete with a resounding boom. Seconds later, a tall man with a shaved head and glasses headed toward them. The closer he got, the more she noticed the red spots on his white lab coat. Blood. He stopped in front of them, face crinkling with a warm smile.

"Miss Gilbert?" he asked, glancing back and forth between Elena and Damon.

"Yes," she shook his hand and glanced up at Damon. "This is my partner, Damon Salvatore. He received the call about the body from our office in Virginia."

"I would like to say it os nice to meet you both, but these are not the best circumstances to meet anyone. Still, welcome to Holy Oaks." The ME smiled. "I'm Dr Logan Fell. If you follow me, I will take you to see the body."

Elena caught Damon watching her. She blinked and made a face, wondering what he was thinking.

"Thank you, Dr Fell," she hurried to walk beside the ME, leaving Damon to follow. "Can you tell me how long you have lived in Holy Oaks?"

Their steps echoed down the hallway on their walk. She tried not to wince at the ugly green colour on the walls. That vomit-green with poor lighting was the stuff of nightmares. Hers, mainly. How many people could admit to dreaming of the future death of others? Not many.

"I have been here for about two years. Transferred in from Florida when the old ME retired," Fell answered, opening the same door he had appeared out of earlier.

"Do you know many of the people in town?" Elenatried to keep the inquisition to sound like mere pleasantries, but it seemed there were secrets everywhere. Every person she met she wanted to interrogate.

"Not really. I have met some of the more prominent townsfolk. The Landleys. The Youngs. And the Torrents."

Elena brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her heartbeat increased with each step. They were going down a new hallway. The air tasted stale. No other noise sounded around them. Only their footsteps. At the end of the hallway, she saw the large block letters she had been dreading. Morgue.

"Tell me about the girl they brought in," she mumbled, tripping over her own feet. Thankfully, Damon was there, holding her, before she got a chance to fall flat on her face.

Fell grabbed gloves from the box at the door and turned to give her an earnest smile. His friendly brown eyes dulled for a moment. "She was young. Nobody that young should die like that."

Elena glanced over her shoulder at Damon. His eyes were bright. Almost glowing, but not quite.

"Are you okay?" she whispered.

His lip curled into a small grin. "I have done this before, darling. I will be fine."

 _Good to know,_ Elena thought. That wasn't what she was asking though. She sighed. Damon was really good at trying her patience. Except, unlike Maxfield, she allowed him to get away with it.

They marched towards the wall covered with dingy-grey doors no bigger than a window. Fell yanked one open, the metal creaking and adding a new sense of creepiness to the place.

He tugged out a metal board holding a body covered with a sheet. Elena gulped. Her stomach burned, and her muscles ached from locking them in place. Dread overpowered her. She hadn't had to identify a family member before. She had always hurt for the families she had escorted to do it, but it was different when it was your turn. It was hell.

Fell carefully peeled away the sheet to reveal the face of a teenager. A beautiful blonde girl with pale skin. The teen had a nose, brow, and lip piercing.

"That is not," Elena struggled to get the words out, "Roxy."

She couldn't move. Her legs were rooted to the spot she stood at for a moment. It was as if her body hadn't caught up with the fact that this wasn't her young cousin.

Fell nodded and made the move to cover the girl up again. "I thought it might be a stretch, but she has been the only teen recently reported missing here."

"Hold on a second," Damon ordered.

He brushed past Elena, glancing at her with too much interest. There was that concern in his eyes again. She knew he had smelled her fear and distress. After a few quick breaths, she had followed behind him to get closer to the body.

"You mean to tell me no other missing person's reports have been filed in this place?" Even she heard the surprise in Damon's voice.

Fell shrugged. He was tall, but when Damon stopped by his side he made the ME appear almost child-like. "This is a small town. Everyone knows everyone's business. Teens go two towns over for excitement or to the nearest big city. Most of the time if they leave, they don't return."

Elena watched Damon. He stared at the body intently. "Do you know what this girl died of?"

"She had multiple gashes on her back from what might be a whip or a belt buckle. I'm still trying to figure it out. That didn't kill her though. She suffered massive trauma to the head. Something big and heavy cracked her skull."

"Let's see the rest of her," Damon said. His voice was low but commanding.

Fell pulled the sheet to show the girl's naked body.

"She had been floating in the river when one of the local fishermen caught sight of her and called it in."

Elena reeled back. The girl had a tattoo on her leg. The same one she had seen in her dreams. There was even a leaf next to it. Air pounded in and out of her lungs in harsh pants. She curled her nails into her hands and willed the bile, burning her throat, down.

"She was clearly bound," Damon's voice snagged her to the present.

She glanced at the girl's wrists. There were small ligature marks. The type obtained from something thin cutting into the skin.

"Rope?" Elena asked.

"Might be wire," Fell answered.

Damon leaned down, way too close to the body. "I think it is both wire and duct tape." He met Elena's gaze. "There is glue residue there too."

Elena glanced up at the blonde. Her eyes were closed. It tore at Elena's insides to see someone so young dead. But it wasn't Roxy. That meant her cousin was still out there. Missing.

A phone's ringing broke through the momentary quiet.

Fell tore off a glove and reached into his pocket. "I'm sorry, but I have a meeting to go to."

They left the building together. Elena's thoughts centred on Josh Landley. She had to see him. Figure out if he might know where Roxy could be.

She gave her card to the ME at the entrance to the hospital. "Please call me if you think or hear of anything that could help us find Roxy."

He nodded and waved them away.

"Tell me what you are thinking," Damon said after a few solemn minutes on the road.

"That is the girl from my dream last night." _More like a nightmare,_ Elena thought. It wasn't every night she woke up screaming from one of her hazy visions. "I don't know if I'm over reaching, but I think she is somehow tied to Roxy's disappearance."

She watched him drive. Pure muscle defined his arms. It didn't matter that he wore his usual black T-shirt and jeans. The way the shirt hugged his body, she could make out his abs right under the cotton. All that muscle. So smooth and hot. She had real problems to let her mind constantly stray to his body. She licked her lips and focused on the matter at hand. Roxy.

"If she is somehow tied to my cousin, I need to know how."

Damon glanced at her. The muscle at the side of his cheek flexed. "I guess we should go question the boyfriend."

"You know, we are not here on official Bureau business. We can't just go interrogate people. We have to try to get them to talk to us."

He winked. A soft rumble of a chuckle sounded from him. "You haven't seen me in action yet, baby."

Oh, she had seen him in action all right. Last night. This morning. If she ignored all the warning signs her mind was sending her way, she would see him in action again later. When they had been young. Not that it stopped how hot they had been in bed. Or how explosive things turned when they came together. Hell, they had destroyed several beds in the years they had been a couple.

Another one of his chuckles brought her mind from the gutter to the present. "Remembering us in bed, darling?"

"No!" Elena lied.

Damon laughed harder. "I can tell when you are lying, Elena."

"I'm not lying," she retorted. "You are the one who keeps bringing things back to sex." It was just easier to blame him than acknowledge the fact that her previously non-existent sex drive had reawakened the moment Damon came into the picture. She really did have bigger problems than she realized.

Her cousin was missing. She'd had two dreams in just a few days. Dreams of the future. To top it off, her body was an orgasm waiting to happen thanks to Damon.

Damon pulled to an unexpected stop on the side of the dirt road, put the SUV in park and turned to her. "We are going to find your cousin. Then, you are going to tell me why you are so afraid to be with me."

Not that again. "Damon…"

His eyes glowed and flashed black. "I would never hurt you. You know that, right?"

Her jaw fell open. "Is that what you think? That I'm afraid of you?" Elena glanced away before finally meeting his gaze and hoped he couldn't see the pain in her heart through her eyes. "I left because it was what was best for you, Damon. I care about you. And I want you to be happy," she gulped. "That meant I needed to let you go."

Damon shook his head and lifted her hand to his face. He caressed his bristly cheek on her palm. An explosion of warmth took over her body.

"If you care about me and want me to be happy, you would realize having you in my life was the only way to achieve that," he rumbled and leaned forward. "Neither I, nor the beast inside me want any other woman. Everything that I am, man, beast, demon, belongs to you. Always will."

"Damon, I…"

"You don't only own my heart, Elena. You own me fully. There is one thing you need to get through that beautiful head of yours," he tapped her temple. "I'm not letting you go again. You are mine, and you are staying mine."

Elena didn't know what to say to him. She loved the dangerous hybrid more than her life, but she was a realist. At some point in the future, Damon would want something she couldn't give him. And that would break them up again.


	10. Chapter NINE

The Landleys' lived on one of the more expensive streets in town. That side boasted of newer larger homes. It reminded Elena of a perfect town. A cherry-red Dodge Charger whipped past them blaring loud rock music. The car's tires screeched as it neared a corner and did a quick left before coming to a stop in a driveway. As they neared the address they had been given for the Landleys, they realized the hot rod that had rushed past them was parked at the Landley home.

A tall, teen boy wearing a black AC/DC T-shirt and jeans hopped out of the car. He stopped and stared at Elena for a moment.

Damon pulled into the curved driveway, and she rushed out of the SUV to speak to the kid.

"You look just like Roxy," the boy exclaimed. His gaze roamed over her face with wide-eyed surprise.

"Thanks, she is my cousin."

Damon met her at the front of the SUV.

"Are you Josh?" Damon asked, his voice serious.

The boy's dark brows rose high when he noticed Damon. Damon tended to have that effect since Elena met him. He was pretty intimidating. Even though the kid was tall compared to most teenagers, he paled.

"Why are you asking?" He threw a glance over his shoulder to the house. From what Elena could tell, there didn't seem to be anyone home.

"When was the last time you spoke to Roxy?" she asked. She pulled Josh's attention to her in hopes he would cooperate.

"A few days ago," he shrugged slim shoulders, the T-shirt so big she wondered how he didn't fall out of it.

"And you haven't called or wondered why you haven't spoken to her since?" Damon pushed.

"Nah. We had an argument," Josh fidgeted. He took a step as if ready to run. In a heartbeat, Josh turned to go, hurrying to get away. Except, he wasn't moving. His legs were doing the motions of someone running at a fast speed, but his feet weren't touching the ground. His arms flailed at his sides. "What the hell?"

"Where do you think he is trying to go?" Damon cocked his head and folded his arms across his massive chest.

"I would take a wild guess and say away from us."

"Hmm. Now why would you want to leave so fast, kid?" He chuckled.

"Let me go, man! I don't know where she is," Josh yelled a high-pitched squeal.

"You definitely don't. Why don't you turn around?" Damon suggested.

At that moment Josh whirled in the air. His eyes were huge in his small face, making him appear almost bug-eyed. He inhaled sharply, mumbling under his breath, something Elena couldn't understand, and started to breathe faster and faster. He had realized Damon wasn't holding on to him.

"What the hell? What did you do to me?" Another screech of words. Elena wanted to make the kid shut up and talk at the same time. The tone of his voice grated on her last nerve.

"Relax, kid. I will let you down in a moment. We just need some answers." The way Damon said those few words, there was no arguing with whatever questions he had.

A wave of heat pulsed from him towards Elena. She became lightheaded with how draining it was to have so much energy so close to her, pushing out.

"Josh, calm down."

Easier said than done. If she didn't know Damon better than she knew herself, she would probably be freaking out over the effect his energy had on their surroundings. Josh's car shook hard. Shit. Everything shook. Wind howled around them, lifting her hair up and blowing it across her face.

"Wh-who are y-you people," Josh managed to get out.

Elena watched him carefully. It wasn't that Damon was doing anything to the kid. However, it didn't take more than a second for the kid to realize that Damon could probably destroy him without even touching him.

"We are the FBI," she replied. She hoped he would calm some. Maybe talk to them. Hell, something other than the glassy stare he gave her.

That wasn't the case. Josh paled even more. She started to think he would pass out at any moment. Crap. It was very possible they had nothing when it came to Josh Landley. If Damon could tell Josh didn't know where Roxy was, they weren't going to get much out of him.

Elena glanced over to Damon. He shifted his attention from Josh to her. His eyes had turned pure black. The demon controlled the man.

"What do we do?" she asked him, ignoring the heat of his gaze as it trailed down her face and to her lips. One of the things Elena had never gotten over about Damon was the power and its side effects. When his dark demon was out and he used his power, he would want sex after. She wondered how he had controlled the beast while she was gone. Or had he given into temptation with other women? Surely he had. Who the hell waited five years for someone who disappeared to never return?

"There is only ever been you."

"Don't go into my head!" Elena snapped.

Damon grinned, showing his slightly elongated canines. "You are projecting. I'm just listening to you, darling."

"Hello?" Josh screeched. "I'm still here. Put me down!"

"Why did you argue with her?" Damon cut in.

Josh kicked his feet to no avail. He wouldn't touch the ground until Damon let him. "We had an argument over Luis, and I refused to call her until she apologized."

"Luis the ex-boyfriend?" Damon asked.

"Apologized for what?" Elena asked at the same time.

Josh nodded and glanced back and forth between the two before answering. "She was going to go hangout with Luis and broke our date. I told her it was me or him. She said he was her friend."

"When was she with Luis?" Elena jotted down notes.

"Wednesday. They supposedly had something to figure out."

Josh shoved his hands in the sides of his baggy dark jeans. He looked so strange trying to act in control while dangling in mid-air. "Look, I haven't talked to her, and I'm still waiting for her to apologize. What is with all the questions?"

Elena snapped her notebook shut. "She is missing."

Josh's dark eyes widened with alarm. "Are you serious?"

"Very, kid," Damon answered. "Do you know who might know where she could be?"

"Only Luis, as far as I know. I mean she was going to see him, and I didn't hear from her again after that."

"And where does Luis live?" she asked.

"How the hell should I know?" Not the right answer. His body shook in mid-air.

Damon took a step closer, crowding the kid.

"Fine! In a trailer across town. Now let me go."

Damon put him down so fast the boy's knees buckled, and he fell on his ass. Josh stood slowly. Fear filled his eyes. He didn't try to leave again. Instead, he waited to see if they had any other questions.

Elena squinted against the sun's glare. Though he dressed very much a goth, Elena could see how insecure the boy was. The way he kept twining his hands told her he was uncomfortable being questioned. "Any reason you could think of for her to just up and take off?"

Josh stared at Elena for a moment, biting his lip ring. "She sometimes went a day or two without talking to me if she argued with her mum."

 _Probably typical teenage arguments and disagreements,_ Elena thought. _Especially when you have an odd family._

"Why would she stop talking to you if she had problems with her mother?" Damon asked. He took a step closer into Elena's side. His body heat curled around her like a protective blanket. She didn't like that her mind was so weak she constantly strayed to how big he was. Or how wonderful it felt to be near him again.

 _Mind in the game, woman,_ she reminded herself. She would never survive a working relationship with Damon if all she kept thinking about was him, her, and sex. Lots of sex. Everywhere.

"She wouldn't want to see me or anyone. I think her mother grounded her or something. She would take days and lock herself in her room." Josh frowned. "I tried calling her. I even tried to see her, but she would refuse or ignore me altogether."

Elena couldn't try to begin to understand her family.

"So where exactly does Luis live?" She brought Josh's wary attention to her. The boy hadn't run. Yet. She could tell any moment he would and there wouldn't be a reason to keep him there.

"I told you. The other side of town where the trailer park is."

A horn blared at their backs. Josh rushed past them to the car in the street. He jumped in and took off without another word.

"Kids these days have such great manners," Elena grumbled and headed for the SUV.

"Why didn't you tell me to stop him? I wasn't sure if that is what you wanted."

"No. It would have been wrong. He didn't have anything to hide from what you said."

Damon shook his head. "No, I said he didn't know where Roxy was. He wasn't projecting, and since it wasn't regarding your niece, I didn't feel the need to go digging in his mind."

"So what do you think about all this. Roxy and this Josh kid?" Elena asked, hoping to distract her turbulent thoughts and get some feedback from Damon.

"Not sure what to think. He clearly doesn't know where Roxy is, but he is hiding something. Fear poured off him in waves."

x x x

"I have an idea. Maybe we can get some background on these people." Elena pressed a button and connected with Enzo at the agency.

"Boss lady, how are you holding up with big and grumpy?" Enzo greeted.

Elena had to smile. She could hear the laughter in the shifter's voice. Damon had never been grumpy, so she was unsure what the tiger was talking about.

"I got him on a tight leash," she muttered and glanced at Damon.

Damon's lips curled into a sinful grin. And suddenly her body started to heat.

He flashed black eyes at her and licked his lips. "Leashed?"

He touched her then. Not with his hands which were busy grasping the steering wheel. But with his power. It was intoxicating. Like having his hands all over her body at the same time. Only, there were no hands on her. She became slick between her legs. Christ. That was all she needed, to walk around with wet panties.

"Cut it out!" Elena whispered, placing a hand over the speaker on her cell phone.

Damon chuckled. "Cut what out? I'm driving."

Elena didn't buy his innocence. She knew Damon too well. Plus the light tickling at the centre of her crotch—which she knew was all his doing, was going to make her come. Then they were going to have even more trouble because Enzo would find out she was a screamer. Not something she needed him to know. Ever.

"If you keep it up," she panted. "I…I…"

Damn! Elena leaned against the cool leather of her seat and bit her lip. Struggling to not call out to him, she shut her eyes and panted. She squeezed the phone in her grasp, waiting for the tension mounting inside her to continue.

He stopped.

"Asshole! I'm going to get you for that. I'm going to tie you to the bed and torture you until you beg me to make it end."

"You think so?" Damon's eyes glowed with the power of his wolf now. His voice sounded so rough she could hardly make out the words. He lifted a dark brow. "Wonder what Enzo thinks."

Elena blinked. Damn. Damn. Damn. Enzo. She still had him on the phone.

Enzo guffawed so loud she heard it before putting the phone to her ear. "Oh, hell. You are probably worse than Bonnie."

"Focus, Enzo. I need you to do something."

"Boss lady, I don't know what was happening a minute ago, and while you sounded mighty sexy, Bonnie and I have this understanding that she plays hard to get, and I chase. You should know, I couldn't take any of your propositions seriously."

Elena growled. Damon's lips lifted in a not so subtle smile of success.

"I'm not going to proposition you. If you stopped thinking about Bonnie for a second, maybe I can tell you what I need."

"Don't know if I can stop thinking of my sexy Bonnie. She is a firecracker. But I am here for whatever you need from me, so go for it, boss lady."

Elena sighed. If Enzo wasn't so good at tracking and an amazing field operative, she would wonder why they kept him around. Bonnie would probably be upset if Elena got rid of the tiger. Just her luck that Bonnie was a lot more special than all of them.

"See if you can dig up any criminal background on anyone in this town. I mean everyone from the Sheriff to the damn paper boy. I'm running low on patience and time. Call me with anything."

"I'm on it. By the way...I meant to ask..."

"What?"

"Did you and big and grumpy really do it in the car just now?"

"Shut up!"

"Give me some credit." Enzo chuckled. "I think I can figure out what had happened."

Elena shut the phone off with a groan. "How in the world can you handle him?"

"Just wait until he and Mason are together. They are a team."

"It can't get any worse than that, right?" She shifted in her seat to watch Damon drive.

"Yeah. It can. You are on Lockwood break, and you should be grateful. He was far worse than Enzo, but he has mellowed. Last year, he and Jules finally stopped going around in circles with their feelings and let things flow. He and Enzo have been the bane of the females and my existence." Damon took a breath. His chest expanded in the too tight black T-shirt she kept visualizing him tearing off like a stripper.

"So how do we find Luis's address?" Damon asked.

Elena pressed a button on her cell phone again.

"Couldn't stay away, could you?" Enzo laughed.

"Put a sock in it, Enzo," Damon ordered, his hands squeezing at the steering wheel.

Elena smiled. "I need an address."

"Let me switch screens. Okay, shoot." The sound of typing sounded over Enzo's words.

"Luis Gomez. I don't really know the names of his family, but with the size of this town, I'm sure you can figure it out quickly."

"Got it. Damn, you are right too. That place is like the size of a shoe box. Luis and his family live at Nineteen Rock Road. His mother is Rocio Gomez, and he has a little sister too." More typing. "Do you need the father's name too? He doesn't live with them."

"Thanks, but I'm interested in Luis right now." Elena put the address on the GPS and watched the road. Her mind kept straying to Josh. She couldn't understand why Roxy would ignore her boyfriend just because she had an argument with her mother. It was something she would have to bring up when she spoke to Jenna later.

They took a turn down a road in the SUV. The difference between that street and the one the Landley's lived at was astounding. Gone was the green, perfectly cut grass. Gone were the large homes, expensive cars, and picket fences with gorgeous gardens. This was definitely a poverty-stricken area. The streets were paved, but there were enough potholes to damage a tank.

"This is different," she murmured. "I wonder how Roxy went from Luis to Josh."

Damon noticed the change in Elena instantly. Her hands went from laying loosely on her lap to curl into fists.

"Something wrong?" He glanced at the trailer numbers, searching for the one they needed.

"This reminds me of a case from a few years ago." She cleared her throat, her husky voice filling the interior of the SUV.

With a quick glimpse, he turned to see her staring out the window. "What happened?"

"The child was killed by her father. He was angry over a divorce, and on a visit, he took her off to a cabin and shot her and himself," Elena said softly. "The mother lived in an area much like this one. It is one of those situations that I don't forget."

Damon knew all about that. There had been far too many cases in which he had found the victim already dead. They knew better than anyone that the first forty-eight hours were crucial in a missing person's case. Unfortunately, they weren't really sure if Roxy was truly missing yet.

Damon grabbed her left fisted hand, covering it with his. "Relax, we will find her."

Her gaze swung to his face. His chest tightened at the sadness he saw in her eyes. He wanted to make it all better for her, but he knew that wouldn't be easy. The SUV bumped slowly over potholes, further and further into the crowded trailer park.

"There is number nineteen." Elena pointed at a smaller trailer parked by a large Oak tree.

The SUV came to a halt near the trailer and Elena got out of the vehicle immediately. Damon rushed after her. Not that he detected any danger, but he had to be near her. To protect her. His animal and the other darker force within him would kill to keep her safe.

Elena knocked on the door. A moment later, a woman's loud voice sounded from inside. "Get the door and stop being so useless!"

A little girl, no more than eleven years old opened the door.

"Can I help you?" the little girl asked.

Elena gasped. Damon didn't have to see her face to scent her distress. The little girl had bruises and scratches all over.

"Is Luis home?" Elena's voice was soft, addressing the child.

"What the hell is taking you so long?" Asked the woman's voice closer to the door. A large heavyset woman with dark eyes and the smell of liquor filled the entrance. "Who are you?"

"We are looking for Luis," Elena answered.

The little girl pushed further into the trailer, hidden from their view.

"Yeah? And who the hell are you?" the woman shouted.

Elena's hands curled into fists. "I'm—"

"We are from the FBI, ma'am. We need to see your son," Damon cut in. He didn't dig into people's minds unless necessary, but the bruises on the child and the complete fear in her eyes screamed for help.

"Too bad. I don't know where the hell that little good for nothing is, but when he gets back, he will be regretting leaving without a word," she sputtered. A lit cigarette hung from the side of her lips.

The hatefulness he saw in her eyes made the decision for him. He shoved his way into the woman's mind. Fury burned in his chest at what he saw. The woman beat her kids in order to cope with her anger of their father leaving them.

"Damon?" Elena whispered, tapping his shoulder. "Why is she just standing there all frozen?"

"Hang on a sec, sweetheart. I just need to see something," he murmured, digging through Rocio Gomez's mind. The last time she had seen Luis, they argued over his step-sister, Rosalinda showing up. The girl was his older sister and the reason Luis's father had left their family and returned to his ex-wife.

Damon dug through, searching memories and feelings. Darkness swirled around them, controlling the woman, holding her immobile while he searched. Power spread outward, shaking the ground, the trailer, and everything around them. Roxy's name popped up about Luis hanging with her and his half-sister.

"Damon?" Concern laced Elena's voice. "This is really creeping me out."

He took a moment to put some suggestions into Rocio's mind. Mainly, about how to treat her children and being a better parent.

"Okay, we are done here," he slowly breathed the words out, reining the power in.

Rocio blinked a handful of times and glanced back and forth between Elena and Damon. "I'm sorry, what did you say you needed?"

Elena's head snapped to the side so fast Damon worried she had hurt her neck. He met her wide-eyed stare with small grin.

"You already said you didn't know where Luis was, Rocio," he answered smoothly.

Rocio frowned, rubbing a hand over her forehead. "Right. I don't. He left a few days ago and hasn't returned."

"Thank you for your help," he said, pulling out a card and handed it to the confused-looking woman. "If you hear from him, please have him call us. Or feel free to give us a call."

"I will…" She trailed off and turned into her trailer. "Lucy? This place is a mess. Why don't we clean up some, and then I will make us some lunch."

"But what about your bottle, momma?" the little girl asked hesitantly.

"I don't need that stuff. That is disgusting," she answered with distaste.

"How in the hell did you do that?" Elena grabbed his T-shirt and tugged to get his attention. "What did you do to her head?"

The sun beat down on their heads as they walked to the SUV. Damon sensed her awe and confusion over what he had done to Luis's mother. He didn't want to worry Elena. That had never been the idea. There was no way he was just going to leave and let that woman beat her kids any more if he could do something as simple as change her thinking. Elena truly didn't realize how much power he had inside. It was better to keep it that way. He didn't need to scare her. That was the last thing he ever wanted.

"She wasn't going to give us any information on Luis. I just put some suggestive thoughts about parenting and taking care of her home before I retreated," he said over the roar of the engine.

"I understand that, but she did an about face. I mean, in front of my own damn eyes," Elena gasped. "You are a lot more powerful than I thought." She blinked and gave him one of those soft smiles that could drive him to his knees. "You helped those kids. I would have done the same."

"It wasn't a big deal." Damon slowly drove them away from the trailer park. Elena's emotions overpowered the inside of the vehicle. She was grateful, happy, and if his animal and the beast were right, she was also highly turned-on.

There was a brief silence.

"Stop the car," Elena ordered on a quiet stretch of road.

Without hesitating, Damon put the SUV on park and turned to her. "What is wrong?"

She unclipped her seatbelt and leaned forward, cupping his face in her small hands. "This is the reason you deserve to be in charge. You don't need to use force to make things happen."

Pleasure roared inside him. He tugged her closer, draping her on his lap. "The bureau doesn't see it that way."

She rubbed her lips lightly over his. "That is because they are stupid. And scared. You are powerful. Sexy. Strong. Too much for them to handle."

"You think I'm sexy, darling?"

Elena placed butterfly kisses over his jaw, twirling her tongue over his bristly day's old beard growth. "You are hot as hell."

"Elena," Damon whispered, digging his hands into the mass of dark hair and holding her face still in his grasp. "Those are the kind of words that will get me to make love to you in this car."

"Mmm," she moaned. "I think I can live with that."

Their lips brushed. Instant fire shot through his veins. She wiggled her ass on his lap, turning him instantly hard. Then she pushed her tongue into his mouth. Never tentative. Never scared. The way she rubbed it over his, sensually, drawing him into the erotic pull his beast wanted. Craved. Needed. He wanted to bury himself deep inside her so that she would be squeezing his hard-on with each of her contractions when she came.

Elena dug her nails into his shoulders, ran them down his arms and under his T-shirt. The bouquet of her arousal thickened at the same time her fingers traced his abs. Shudders pulsed down his spine, straight to his cock.

"Damon…" She moaned, rocking on his lap. "Make love to me. Here. Now. Do it."

Of course he wanted that too. It wasn't the time though. He wanted her on a bed. Spread open and showing her body to him. Displayed for his pleasure. He wanted to feel her body give with the force of her release. Then he wanted to push deep inside her and claim her all over again.

Damon pulled away from her. Hell did that hurt. Both his wolf and the beast wanted a taste of her. Now. Though he would gladly let her body dictate his actions, now wasn't the time. They had work to do. Elena would regret later that she let her desires stop them from searching for her cousin. Tonight would be soon enough.

"Elena, sweetheart," he groaned.

Elena nibbled on his jaw and raked her nails over his nipples. "Hmm?"

"We should try to figure out who we want to speak to next." He lifted her off his lap and deposited her in her seat again.

She blinked aroused eyes at him. "You are right." She cleared her throat, ran a shaky hand through her hair, and adjusted in her seat. "Let's go have lunch at that diner and decide what we should do next."


	11. Chapter TEN

Elena stepped away to the ladies' room when Damon's cell phone rang.

"Salvatore," he growled out, unhappy with the caller.

"Where is Elena, and why isn't she answering my calls?" Maxfield spit out.

Damon tried to keep from breaking the phone into pieces in his hand. Not only did he hate that Maxfield was trying to contact Elena, even though she didn't report to him, but the man had an attitude in need of serious adjustment. Seemed like every time they had a conversation, Maxfield knew just what to say to piss him off.

"If she is not answering you, then she probably doesn't want to speak to you. Why are you asking me?"

"Because," Maxfield bellowed, "I know there is something going on between you two. I could tell the first time you saw each other." Something slammed on the other side of the line. "I don't like it. You keep your relationship professional, and we won't have any problems."

Damon squeezed the fork in his hand, bending the metal in half as if it were a mere piece of paper. "So now your job is to be involved in our personal lives?"

"I don't give a damn about your personal life," Maxfield sputtered out. "I care about hers. I care about Elena."

What the hell? That was way too much interest from Maxfield towards Elena. His Elena. "You are not even her boss. What do you want with her?"

Damon wished Maxfield was in front of him, so he could figure out why he was so interested Elena. At that moment, jealousy put all sorts of thoughts in his head, and his animal growled inside, restless.

Maxfield cursed. "That is not your business."

Oh, yes it was his business, Damon said to himself silently. He would find out why Maxfield was so intent on reaching Elena.

"I need to speak to Elena!" Maxfield ordered.

"Then that is your problem. It is a long weekend. She is probably not interested in dealing with you today." Damon curled his hand on the booth table, until his fingers started to leave imprints on the metal.

Something broke on Maxfield's side of the line, the loud crack jabbing at Damon's sensitive ear. "Don't mess with me, Salvatore. If you speak to Elena, tell her I need her."

 _Over my dead body,_ Damon thought. "Listen to me carefully, Maxfield. I don't know what your obsession is with Elena, but I would be real careful if I were you. She is not alone."

"That is right, she is not." Maxfield threw back. "That is something you should remember."

The phone line went dead. Damon was still trying to calm the surge of power dancing over his fingertips, to stop the growls that built in the back of his throat when Elena returned from the restroom and met his gaze. Her eyes widened, and her face paled.

"What is wrong? What happened?" Her head swung from side to side, glancing at the others in the diner before she rushed to sit across from him in the booth.

"Nothing, why?" Damon hated that his voice was deep and rough, a sure sign his animal wanted out.

"Nothing? Your eyes are red, Damon. You are pissed as hell, and I don't even need to look at you to know it. What is wrong? Is it Roxy? Do you have news about her?" Elena bit her lip and squeezed his hands on the table, the heat from her touch instantly soothing his beast. "You can tell me. I won't freak out."

Damon hated that he had made Elena so worried. She didn't deserve to be upset over a missing family member. He knew she had a good heart, a good soul. Yes, he had thought about digging into her mind to know her reasons for leaving him. That wasn't what he wanted. Her words would be what made the difference. Her expression when she told him her reasons. "No, Elena. It was just Maxfield calling to ask about you."

Her shoulders dropped. She pushed the coffee cup to the side, cupping her cheek with her hand. "Oh, him," she said coolly, eyes flashing anger. "What the hell did he want?"

Damon growled, not liking the fact Maxfield put Elena in a bad mood. "To talk to you."

"He is a pain in my ass," Elena growled. She sat up straight in her seat, frustration floating over her features. "Always trying to tell me what to do. He just called me like five minutes ago wanting to know if I was fine. I don't need a babysitter. He is constantly telling me not to get into any trouble. I'm not on his clock right now." She lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. "What I really wish is that I wouldn't have been so distant from Roxy. Maybe if she were having a problem she would have told me about it," she muttered.

The remorse Damon heard in her voice all but tore him to pieces. Twinges of frustration poked at him. He wished they would find her cousin soon. The longer they went without news, the more likely they wouldn't find her alive. The more likely Elena would be hurting from it. Back when they had been together five years ago, she had only spoken of her uncle, but never wanting to delve into family discussions. He always thought it was because she wasn't close to them, or maybe because they didn't get along. Now he wondered if there was more to it than that. She was clearly feeling a lot of guilt over not being in more communication with her aunt and cousin.

"Why weren't you closer?" He ventured into the topic of her family carefully, with his voice pitched to an almost bored level.

The waitress showed up to take their dessert orders before she answered.

Elena glanced down at her hands and shrugged, her lips tipping downward. "I guess I never really thought about it."

She lied. Damon knew it. That fact alone hurt him more than if she would have slapped him. It meant she didn't trust him enough to speak the truth. "If you don't want to talk about it then don't, but don't lie to me."

Elena blinked repeatedly, guilt flashing in the back of her eyes. "Okay, wrong choice of words." She placed her hands over his again, the warmth of her palms soothing the beast inside him with that small touch. "It is not that I didn't think about it. It is that my family is very difficult to understand. They have always been…different. You see—"

A shadow fell over the table at that moment. "Elena?"

Damon bit back a growl at the intrusion. For the first time in a long time, Elena had decided to open up and the realtor had just shut down that opening.

Elena reeled back in her seat and glanced to her left where April Young stood watching them with curiosity.

"Hi, April," Elena greeted with a tight smile.

"I was just picking up some lunch to bring my husband when I saw you guys sitting here." She grinned and noted Elena's hands over Damon's, one brow rising with interest. "How is the search for your cousin going?"

Elena grimaced. Not that it was any of April's business, but the realtor hadn't been rude to her. She had been really helpful. Elena couldn't forget the fact April had been ready to fling herself at Damon when they had arrived. She still seemed pretty willing to do that. "Not very far. Her boyfriend doesn't know where she is. Her ex isn't around. We are not really sure who else to question."

Damon cleared his throat, his smile light and friendly.

Elena frowned. Damon met her gaze. His smile went wider, in turn, making him even sexier with his scruffy jaw and sinfully blue-grey eyes.

"Maybe April can give us some ideas." He turned his smile on April.

Elena bit back a growl, swallowed her frustration, and glanced at April.

April folded her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts closer to the low-cut neckline of her silk, white top and smiled at Damon. "Well, I think another person I would question would be Carey Torrent." She placed her hands on the table and leaned down towards Damon, her top sliding further down. "The Torrents are related to my husband. They are one of the founding families of this town. You should see if Carey knows anything."

"Thanks," Elena grumbled, ready to slap the smile off April's face. "We will give it a try. If you can think of anyone else who might be able to give us any advice, please feel free to call me."

They were interrupted by a waitress with a to-go bag for April. Elena had never been so ready to hug a person and thank them for interrupting.

April took the bag, pausing to make a show of brushing a non-existent speck of dust from her neckline. "I sure will."

Elena watched April wave at Damon and whipped around to glare at him.

"Stop it," Damon grinned, the glow of his eyes growing brighter.

"Stop what?" Elena scowled. "I wasn't the one flirting with a married woman."

Elena didn't want it to, but his chuckle warmed her all the way to the core. Memories of the past where he had laughed often drifted through her mind.

"I wasn't flirting, sweetheart. It is called being polite. Besides, it got us a new lead."

"She was definitely flirting," she grumbled, jealousy something she had never dealt with before. Damon had always been hers. April's flirting had pressed on the insecurity. One she didn't know how to deal with.

Damon chuckled. "Maybe, but I don't really care. She is not the woman who makes me so hard I hurt."

Elena's attention zoomed to the present, his words soft, but sure caught her off guard. "Um…"

He leaned forward, his eyes brighter, and caressed the side of her face. "She is not the one that belongs to me."

"Damon…"

"And she is definitely not the one I want to be buried in. Balls-deep."

"Okay, okay. I get the picture." Elena cleared her throat and glanced around, worried others had heard, but nobody seemed to have noticed their X-rated conversation.

Damon licked his lips. "Do you?"

She nodded, her eyes stuck on his mouth.

"Good, because tonight, I'm feasting on you. I won't stop until your legs are shaking."

Holy crap. Those were the kind of words he had said before, in the past. He always delivered. He would make her boneless. When he spoke like that, she knew she would soon find herself unable to stand for hours, her body quaking repeatedly in the aftermath of multiple orgasms. Heat swarmed her belly, curling into a ball at her core. Moisture gathered between her legs, turning her slick with need.

Damon grinned. "Oh, and you know that sexy scent drifting from your body, telling me how much you want it?"

Elena blinked, dry-mouthed. "Stop…stop talking like that."

"I want it all over me." His low rumble floated over her skin.

An instant image appeared in her mind. Him. Between her legs. Licking at her. Flicking his tongue over her clit in the amazing zig-zag motion that made her come in under a minute.

His eyes pinned her—movement was impossible. "I want your scent on my face."

Christ.

"My lips."

Elena whimpered.

"And then I want to bury myself deep inside you when you come."

A dish suddenly slid in front of her. It was then she realized she was panting, her heart racing from just the visuals he gave her.

"Alrighty folks, sorry for the wait. Here is your dessert," the waitress said, referring to her chocolate sundae and a piece of apple pie in front of him. "Let me know if you need anything else."

 _A cold shower would be good,_ Elena thought. _Or maybe a bed._ A bed where Damon could make love to her until the desperate urge she had every time she glanced at him stopped. That would work. Truth was, right at that moment, all she could think of was dipping a finger into the whip cream of her sundae and rubbing it over his chest before licking it off. Hell. She was in such deep shit.

"Do you know what I would do?"

Elena gulped, shaking her head. "About?"

"You are projecting again. I like the whipped cream idea. But if we are going to go with licking things off each other, then I would go with a dot of honey on your nipples," he said, his voice low and rough. "Just enough to add to your sweetness."

Her breaths quickened. "Honey?"

"That is right, darling. Only on your nipples. I wouldn't try to change your body's natural flavour when I taste you." He glanced down at her lips and then at her eyes, pinning her with his drool-worthy stare. "I love your taste. It is addicting. And so sexy I can spend my entire life with your legs wrapped around my neck."

"Eat you dessert!" she grumbled and started eating her sundae.

Damon stated to laugh.

Dessert! What the hell? Elena would never think of honey in the same way again. Ever.

x x x

Elena's phone rang as they were getting in the SUV after lunch. Much to her own self-disgust, her body was so attuned to Damon's every move she couldn't stop glancing at him. Or picturing the things he had said he'd do later. Damn, he better do them. If not, he would have a very pissed off Elena to deal with. He couldn't just offer all kinds of orgasms and oral magic and not deliver. It wasn't like she would stop him either. There simply wasn't enough will power in the world when it came to saying no to sex with Damon.

"Talk to me, Enzo," she answered.

"Boss lady! I bet you missed me, didn't you?" Enzo's voice held that humour that made her smile. "Don't worry I won't tell Damon. It is cool. I got some news for you."

She hopped into the SUV and sat down, pushing the hair away from her face. "Hang on. Let me put you on speaker."

A second later she hit the Bluetooth connection with the SUV, and the sound of Enzo's typing surrounded them.

"Okay, start talking," she ordered, watching Damon start the engine.

"So, here goes. Your little town is made up of three power families and then everyone else. The Torrents, which are like the people with the most money out there. The Landley's come in second. And the Youngs are last."

"Tell me about the Landley's. What do you have on them?"

"Theresa and Jonathan Landley have one child. Josh. Jonathan is the town's preacher. He has got nothing on record so far. I would have to go digging further, but I don't think I will find anything else."

"What about the Torrents?" Elena asked, hand tight on the seat's leather.

"Are any of the families connected somehow, Enzo?" Damon asked, his brow dipped in a fierce scowl, lips thinned to a straight line.

"As a matter of fact, they are. Seems to be the sheriff is cousins with the preacher, and then it looks like Torrent is related to the Sheriff by marriage." Enzo clicked quickly on keys. "One more thing, boss lady. Seems all those families hired out your aunt to clean for them."

"Really?" She knew Jenna cleaned for a living, but didn't realize she cleaned for all of them. It was too early to tell if that meant anything.

"Yeah, and I made a few calls. It seems your cousin used to take over her duties when she was busy at church."

Elena leaned back on the seat. "Can you email me all their addresses? I want to know where I can find these people."

"Sure thing. Anything else you need, just holler."

"Thanks, Enzo. Do me a favour and keep this between us," she added before she forgot. The last thing she needed was Maxfield finding out she wasn't even in town and searching for a missing person they had no business looking into.

"Goes without saying. You are part of the team," Enzo said, his voice no longer cheery but serious.

Damon shifted to her left. She flicked a quick glance at him. He watched her, eyes boring into her.

She cleared her throat. "Thank you."

"So the next time Maxfield asks me where you are, got anything you want me to say?"

Elena didn't break eye-contact with Damon, not that she could. "Yes, tell him I said to mind his own business. It is the weekend, and I don't answer to him."

Enzo stopped typing. His laughter boomed through the speaker. "With pleasure."

Elena disconnected the call and wanted to slam a hand on the dashboard. She should talk to Jenna again. Something had to give. Roxy couldn't just disappear off the face of the earth. Not in a town the size of a shoebox!

She yanked out the diary from inside her handbag. Leafing through the pages, she tried to make sense of what the initials and numbers meant. Until she got the email from Enzo. She blinked when she realized some of the numbers in the diary were the house numbers for the Torrent, Young, and Landleys.

"Holy shit!"

Damon stopped backing up and turned to her. "What?"

"These numbers…" She waved the diary excitedly in front of his face, almost forgetting that he was in the driver side. "Some of these are addresses!"

Damon smiled. The little lift of his lip only made him that much sexier. "I knew you would figure it out. One of us would have."

"Hah! And it only took a day. Okay, so you take me to talk to Jenna, and you go question Carey Torrent?"

He made a face, displeasure clear in his features. "Are you sure? I don't mind going with you to your aunt's."

She shook her head. "Strange aunt, remember? John said Jenna couldn't handle people she didn't know. With your look, you would scare the shit out of her."

Damon frowned. "How do I look? Gorgeous, sexy and irresistible?"

Elena laughed. "You are intimidating, Damon! You will scare Aunt Jenna away."

He stared at her for a moment, and then gave a sharp nod. "Okay. I will give you a call if I notice anything we should follow up on."

They arrived at her aunt's quickly. The diner was within walking distance. His scowl worried her. "You sure you are okay going to speak to Carey alone?"

Damon gripped the wheel and watched her jump down from her seat. "I'm good."

"Great. I will see you later. Let me talk to Jenna and see if she can tell me more about the people she cleaned for and why Roxy kept a diary with their addresses and initials."

He glanced up at her aunt's house. "If you need me, call. I will come for you."

Elena watched him speed away, dust swirling at the back of the SUV. Then she turned to her aunt's house. Taking a breath, she knocked on the door and waited.

"Who is it?"

"Elena," she answered, noticing a difference in Jenna's voice. It was rougher, almost angry. What could have pissed her off?

Jenna opened the door, staring at her with rage filled brown eyes. "Elena. What do you want?"

Talk about an attitude shift. Where was the concerned and slightly vague woman from the previous day? And whatever happened to Lena?

"I…wanted to ask you a few questions, Jenna."

Her aunt stomped toward the kitchen, her footsteps no longer soft and quiet like the day before. "I need tea."

Elena frowned. She couldn't understand the shift in Jenna's attitude. The house was still as clean if not cleaner than the last time she had been there. She followed behind Jenna, towards the kitchen. Her aunt mumbled under her breath.

"Do you have a moment for some questions?"

Jenna stopped, her fingers tight on the counter. A heartbeat later she turned to Elena. "What did you need to know, Lena?"

Weird. It was like flipping a light switch. Jenna smiled at her, her eyes softer than when she'd opened the door. Someone was super hormonal or the word eccentric was nowhere near good enough to describe her aunt.

"You clean houses for the Torrents, Youngs, and Landleys, right?"

Jenna nodded, absently grabbing cups for the tea. "I do. Sometimes Roxy goes instead because I have to go to service."

Right. Service. With all the church paraphernalia around, Elena knew her aunt was definitely devoted to the services. There were images of angels, crosses at every turn and giant paintings of religious depictions. "So can you think of any reason for Roxy to have their addresses and some initials in her diary?"

Jenna jerked around, her eyes wide. "No. I…I don't think so. That boy," she said, her voice switching to that angry tone again. "He was her downfall."

"No, no, Jenna. Why would she keep their addresses in her diary?"

Jenna's eyes took a distant look, as if she had gone off somewhere. "They paid her. Maybe she recorded it that way."

It was possible but Elena wasn't convinced. "It is okay. I will go see if they know where Roxy could be."

She stood, flung her bag over her shoulder, and smiled. "I should go."

"What about the tea?"

"Thanks, Jenna. But I just had lunch." Elena marched for the front door, not really wanting to stay any longer. For some reason, the house made her uncomfortable. She stepped outside. Once there, she turned around to face Jenna.

"Are you sure Roxy couldn't be with a friend? Maybe spending a few days away?" Elena asked again, hoping for a different response this time around.

Jenna shook her head slowly. "No," she said, her voice low. "She used to be an innocent. He did it. He took her from me."

"Who did what?" Elena so wished the woman made sense.

"That boy from hell!" she said and slammed the door closed.

 _Great,_ Elena thought. That was the reason she didn't visit Jenna. John had said she was eccentric. Freaking whacko was more like it.


	12. Chapter ELEVEN

Damon followed the young girl who had been leaving the Torrent house. He knew her to be Carey Torrent from what the housekeeper had informed him. He had missed her by a few moments.

The girl zipped her purple VW convertible bug down the street—way over the speed limit. Loud dance music blared from her radio. She bopped her blonde head to the tunes. It was a few miles before she stopped at the local parish. She parked next to Landley's car and ran into a side door. _Interesting,_ Damon thought.

He waited for a moment. Elena hadn't called yet, and he didn't like sitting around. He headed for the same entrance Carey had used when a woman rushed out. She tugged a shawl around her shoulders, but the scent drifting from her wasn't one that could be hidden. Sex.

She made eye contact with him before turning away. Shame and excitement floated from the woman. He watched her run to her minivan before going into the building. A long, quiet hallway broke off into two sections, neither looking especially attention-grabbing. The brown wallpaper darkened the space, seeming to close it off around a person.

He took the right side, following the scent where the woman had come from. An office door stopped him short. Jonathan Landley, Pastor. Things just got better and better. He knocked on the door. There was a quick shuffle before someone opened it.

"Yes?" said a man in his mid-to-late forties. The pastor. He gave Damon the once-over, his hand moving to anxiously rub over the back of his neck.

"Would you happen to be Mr Landley?" Damon already knew he was the man. He also knew he had been the one having sex with the woman who had rushed out of the building.

"Yes, what can I do for you?" The man's smile didn't reach his eyes.

"I'm looking for Roxy Santos. She has gone missing."

"Really? That is sad news. Her mother is a very active parishioner," he said. Though he tried to sound sympathetic, Damon knew the man didn't give a damn.

"Is that your wife I just ran into in the parking lot?" he asked casually.

"Who? Rebecca? No no. She is a parish member. One of my best."

Yeah, he would bet. His best affairs. The scent of sex overpowered the preacher's office. "Sorry, I was told to speak to Carey Torrent, but I seem to have lost her when she came into the building."

The pastor made a show of glancing down at his watch. "Well it is time for our young adult hour down at the centre, so she is probably there with my boy, Josh."

"Right. Would you happen to know anything on the whereabouts of Miss Santos?"

The preacher shook his head. "Sorry. She wasn't an active member. She hardly ever came by here. She did clean up at my home and hung out with my son. My wife and son could be of more help. I'm a busy man." He sighed and glanced up at Damon. "Trying to save these souls."

Damon had deep respect for those who took their religion seriously, but this man was a joke. He clearly used his position to get away with having affairs with parishioners. "Right."

"If you will excuse me, Mr…?"

"Salvatore, Damon Salvatore, FBI," he smiled coldly, watching the preacher's already pale features turn ashy. "I will go search for Miss Torrent."

Damon searched through the preacher's mind to see if he had anything on Roxy. All he found was that he was having an affair with the local mechanic's wife. He also randomly hired prostitutes to visit him. Nothing on Roxy.

Although he was tempted, he didn't mess with the preacher's mind. He knew better than to do that on a regular basis. He left the man's office and followed the hallway down to a centre opening. He was about to enter when he heard two voices.

"Well, where the hell is Luis?" the female said.

"I don't know," answered a male one.

He knew that voice. Josh Landley. He also knew Josh was lying.

"Luis wouldn't just disappear like this," said the girl, her voice laced with frustration. "I don't understand where he could have gone."

"Relax, Carey, I'm sure he will be around in a few days," murmured Josh. "Oh, the cops came by my house today."

"Oh?" Carey asked, but wasn't really interested.

"Roxy is missing."

Carey gasped. "Do you think she might be with Luis? He wouldn't cheat on me, would he?"

"I don't know. He was the last person she was going to see when she went missing."

Something slammed against a wall. "That bitch!"

"Calm down, Carey. If someone tells my dad you are throwing things in here. We will get in trouble."

Carey growled. "Shut up, Josh. You are a little punk. If you had any balls your girl wouldn't have been seeing my boyfriend anymore," she spat. "This is why I can't be with someone like you. You need to grow up."

"Whatever. I told her not to see Luis," he replied, his voice a mere whisper.

"And?" Carey shouted. "She clearly didn't pay your stupid ass any attention."

"I'm sure they will turn up," Josh whispered.

Damon marched into the room. They had their backs to him, but he could scent Josh's fear and Carey's anger.

"Whatever. It is his loss if he is with her. I will make his life miserable for as long as he lives in this town. Nobody turns on me. And not for that piece of trash. I'm going home." She shoved away from him and rushed out a different exit.

Josh was alone for a moment before he turned around.

Damon grinned. "Hello, kid."

"Aw hell!"

"Hmm, so let's see," Damon said, marching towards a frozen-in-place Josh. "What happened between this morning and now that I don't know about?"

"I don't know what you are talking about man," Josh sputtered.

Damon didn't want to go digging in the kid's mind. There was never any guarantee that doing that wouldn't have a negative side effect, so he tried again. "Just tell me where Luis is and how he got there. It will save you a lot of grief." He allowed the boy to see his face start to shift, and his eyes take on the full-on black of his demon side.

"Holy shit! What the hell are you?"

"Didn't we have this conversation already? You really should listen. I'm your worst nightmare, kid." His voice was low, rough, a mere growl. He lifted Josh off the ground and brought him closer. "Answer the question or I might be forced to turn your brain into mush if I try to figure it out myself."

"I—I don't know," Josh screeched, fear shooting out of his system.

"Yes, you do." Damon sighed. "I can tell. And unless you want a lesson on how, I suggest you tell me where Luis is."

"He…he hangs out at this old warehouse with Roxy and his half-sister." Josh swallowed rapidly.

"Where is this warehouse located?" Damon's power slipped. The building shook with a deep tremor that rattled the walls. Paintings and crucifixes crashed to the floor.

Josh gasped, his face green with fear. "Holy hell. Did you do that?"

"If you don't tell me where Luis is, I will do even worse," Damon promised.

"The warehouse." Josh gulped. "It is like a mile from here. Just take the main road to Rack Drive. It is the only one there."

"And Luis will be in there?"

Josh nodded repeatedly, his fear increasing along with his paleness. "Yes."

"And you don't know where Roxy is, right?"

"No." At least that was still true.

He marched out of the same door Carey Torrent had left and dialled Elena. "Where are you?"

"Walking up the main street," she huffed. "For some reason, I thought walking on this hot day was a good idea. Go figure."

"Hang on, I will be right there. I know where we can find Luis."

"Where?" Elena asked breathless, her voice laced with interest.

"A warehouse not far from here."

"What the hell is he doing at a warehouse?"

"We are about to find out, Elena."

x x x

Elena gulped down the bottle of water and fanned herself. The air conditioner in the SUV had yet to cool down the heat on her skin. Sweat dripped down her spine, sucked into the waistband of her khakis. She yanked on the front of her T-shirt, blowing air into her breasts.

"I can help you out with that, if you need," Damon offered, his gaze caressing her breasts.

Elena laughed. "What, are you taking lessons from Enzo on what not to say to women?"

Damon chuckled with a shake of his head, his eyes on the road. "Point for you."

They reached the warehouse in no time. Elena glanced around the deserted building. Her only thoughts that if Luis was in there, Roxy might be too.

Damon ran. He entered through the side of the building, forcing a door open and peering into the darkened corners. The sun had started to go down.

"Come on." He hurried down an aisle of empty shelving, his footsteps resounding on the concrete.

Elena followed closely behind Damon, nerves growing tense with each turn they took. Then he stopped, slowly making his way to a corner so dark she squinted to try to make anything out.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice trembling with concern.

"Luis," Damon answered, lowering to reach into the corner.

Metal snapped, and then he was lifting the teen boy in his arms.

"Oh my God!"

Dark-red patches of blood coated Luis's body. His torn T-shirt had gone from what she assumed was grey, to burgundy and clung to him. Bruises and cuts marred his face and arms. There was dirt and blood matting his dark hair to the side of his face. She couldn't tell if he had any active wounds or if it was from before.

"He is not bleeding anymore, but he has got severe trauma. He needs a hospital." Damon rushed out of the warehouse and put the kid in the back of the SUV, his limp body draped on the seat.

"Who do you think did this?" Elena asked, now wondering if her cousin had suffered a similar fate.

Damon growled. His fingers jammed the key into the ignition, care all but forgotten. "I don't know, but I bet Josh Landley knows."

They rushed Luis to the local hospital, weaving through the light traffic to get the boy some help. Once he was in the hands of the emergency doctors, Elena turned to Damon. "That boy was left to die."

Damon stared in her eyes and pulled her in for a hug, tight to his chest. "I know, darling. He won't die."

They waited until a doctor came out to speak to them.

"How is he doing?" Damon asked.

Elena heard the concern in his voice. The kid had been beaten severely. With anger and probably with the hope he wouldn't be found alive. Outrage over someone hurting that boy pressed at her already enraged mind. What if Roxy had been killed? Would anyone know? So far Josh Landley had given information on Luis, but that didn't mean he knew where her cousin was. If he had, Damon would have gotten the information.

 _Such a young girl,_ Elena thought. _Missing. Life could be so unfair._

"He has got head trauma. We have given him pain medication. He probably won't wake up until tomorrow, though." The doctor shook his head and shoved his hands in his scrubs. "He is lucky. If you two hadn't found him, I'm not sure how badly things would have gotten. Head injuries can be deadly if left untreated."

"Thank you, doctor." Elena shook his hand and gave him her card. "Please call me if he wakes. We need to know who did this to him."

The doctor nodded, shoving her card into his pocket, his hands lingered in them. "I will have the staff watching him, and we will call you if anything changes."

They returned to the SUV with purpose. "We need to speak to the police. And to Josh Landley."

Damon's eyes glowed with his beast, the lines of his face tight. Feral. "We are going to find your cousin, Elena," he assured her. "You can count on it."

When they reached the Landley house, they noticed Josh's car was missing.

"Damn," Damon cursed.

It was useless. None of the Landleys were home. The housekeeper didn't know where they were either.

Damon drove them to the local police station. A young deputy stood behind a counter. He played with his cell phone, his gaze snapping up to attention at the sound of their footsteps.

"You are back," he said, staring at Damon with curious brown eyes.

"I am. We need to speak to the sheriff." Damon's tone demanded immediate attention to an urgent situation.

The deputy's eyes bugged out. "What is wrong?"

"We found Luis Gomez bound and beaten in an abandoned warehouse." Elena fumed. "He should do something about it." She watched the boy turn to her, anxiety filling his eyes. "Or I will."

"Ma'am, the Sheriff isn't here right now—"

"So call him!"

The deputy shook his head. "I can't. His radio is off. He doesn't take calls after six pm. He says it is his family time."

"Well then." Elena turned to Damon. "Let's go pay him a visit."

Damon grinned. "I like how you think."

"Wait," the deputy called out when they turned to the main entrance. "You can't just go to his house. He will have you arrested. He doesn't let anyone in his house."

Damon laughed, his eyes glinted of his beast. "He can try. In fact, I hope he does."

x x x

Sheriff Young and his family lived near the Landleys. Their home had a pretty picket fence, a bed of pink tulips and a fountain in the centre of their front yard along with a really wide driveway. Damon put the SUV in park when April Young rolled into the driveway next to them in her convertible.

"Elena?" She frowned, her lips pursed into a pout as she glanced back and forth between Elena and Damon. "Can I help you?"

Elena blinked. April had definitely been out having fun. She wore a skimpy mini dress that showed off her legs. The bust was low enough to show a generous amount of her breasts.

"Hi, April. Sorry to come all the way to your home, but we need to speak to Sheriff Young."

"I'm sorry you came all the way out here so late." April's voice lowered to a seductive tone, her gaze stuck on Damon. "My husband is out with some friends and won't be back until later. In fact, this is our solo night." She grinned at Damon. "We do whatever we want and stay out as long as we want."

Elena was two seconds from smacking the other woman into some decency, followed by kicking her ass into common sense. Two seconds. "Thanks, April. And you wouldn't know where we can find him?"

April shook her head. "No, he does his thing." She licked her lips. "And I do mine."

Well, that was informative in ways she didn't need it to be. "Okay then. Sorry to have disturbed you, April."

Damon got into the SUV, waving at April. "Thanks for your time."

"Just call if you need anything else." April winked.

"Let's go before I slap some respect into that woman," Elena growled.

"We should go to your place. You look exhausted." Damon backed up past April's convertible. A U-turn and they were on the road.

"Yeah." She sighed. "I'm getting hungry too."

Damon gave her one of those 'I'm going to make love to you until your brain is fried' smiles she loved. "I will cook while you shower. Sound good?"

Sounded like Damon was gunning for her to change her mind about staying with him. Unfortunately for them, her reasons were a lot stronger than any amount of romance he showed. Stronger than her guilt. Elena loved him. That was the main reason she did what she did.


	13. Chapter TWELVE

Elena towelled dry, enjoying the smell of whatever Damon was making. He had always been good in the kitchen. They had taken turns cooking in the past. For one who had always cooked out of necessity, Elena discovered an uncharacteristic joy in cooking for Damon.

She tied a robe around her waist and headed for the kitchen. "Something smells really good," she moaned, walked up behind him and peeked into the covered pots.

"I made a batch of my famous spaghetti sauce. Is that okay with you?"

"Sounds delicious."

She wasn't prepared for him to turn, haul her into his arms, and lock their lips together. He flipped them around, until her ass hit the clean counter.

"You smell so good," Damon groaned into their kiss, his voice so rough it shot sparks of need straight to her body.

"Damon," Elena moaned and scraped her nails over the back of his head. "The food…"

"Can wait. It won't burn. It is off and ready to be eaten," Damon muttered, brushing his lips down to her jaw. He nipped at her neck and licked his way down to the gap in her robe. "Just like you."

Elena inhaled a shaky breath and watched him tug open the knot at her waist, until he could look at her naked body and slid a hand down to her belly. "This is what I feel like having for dinner."

Her clit throbbed. Her whole body ached with need. "Don't let me be the one who stops you from getting what you want."

His eyes crinkled, and a wolfish grin spread over his lips. Damon lifted her with an ease she would never get used to, sitting her on the edge of the counter, thighs draped over his shoulders. She leaned into the wall at her back. Her breaths rushed in and out of her chest, burning her lungs on their journey.

Elena gripped the counter under her ass, moaning at the first swipe of his tongue on her clit. "Oh, God!"

"That's it, love. Drench my face with your juices."

Christ. He rumbled, the vibrations traveling up her channel to curl around her belly. She rocked her hips. Hard. A desperate need to feel him closer shaking her to the core. She wiggled her body, searching for more of his tongue.

"Jesus. That feels amazing," Elena panted. The balls of her feet dug into his back and urged him closer between her legs. As if that were possible. His entire face rubbed on her folds.

Damon didn't just lick her clit. He devoured her with his lips and tongue. Up and down. Then he surged a finger into her, curving it and fucking her with it. He sucked on her clit at the same time, thrusting her to the edge. She moaned. Her hold on the counter all but forgotten. She moved restless hands into his hair to dig at his scalp. She bit her lip and tried to tamp down the urge to beg. To order him to hurry it up and make her come.

The finger inside her quickened. Her breaths struggled in and out of her burning lungs. Sparks fired in her blood. They created a sizzle that overtook every cell, every pore.

His tongue flicked on her clit faster. Harder. In a combination of sucks and licks, he yanked her control from out of her hands and hurled her to the shattering depths of her climax.

"Oh, God. Oh. My. Damon!"

Her legs locked and she squeezed at his fingers. Pleasure unwound inside her, shooting like wildfire down her veins. Her hoarse scream echoed around the kitchen, until the only sound to be heard were her moans and harsh breathing.

Elena glanced down into his blue-grey eyes, his face wet with her climax. With a quick tug on his T-shirt, she pulled Damon to his feet and leaned forward. Her lips met his in a blazing kiss. A kiss of need, of passions neither could fight.

She tasted herself on his mouth. It was decadent. Sexy. An instant reminder of what he had done to her with his lips. Arousal bloomed inside her all over again. She drew his T-shirt up and over his chest. Then she ran her hands all over his chest and down to his abs. Those abs had given her enough wet dreams she knew them by memory. She bit her nails into his abs, scoring him with a bit of pain.

His groan pushed her further. She continued her downward travel and shoved a hand into his jeans. His cock, hard and hot poked at her palm. She held him in her grasp, squeezing just enough to get that growl she wanted.

"Elena," Damon moaned and licked her neck, his voice rough. So rough it was hard to make out her name, but she knew what he wanted. The same thing she wanted. The counter was just the right height for him to make love to her.

Elena jerked him in her hand. With just enough force to drag a hard shudder from him.

"Make love to me, Damon." She leaned away and stared into his eyes. "Drive into me so hard, so deep, you will be branded inside me forever."

"That is the best thing you have said all night, sweetheart."

His pants come off quick, and his cock pressed at her entrance. They glanced at each other as he plunged into her in one smooth glide, her muscles stretching to fit snugly around him.

Then he propelled back, and pressed deeper. Her breath caught in her throat. There was no time to grab a gulp of air. There were his lips on hers. His tongue driving in and retreating at the same pace his cock did. There was clinging to his slick body and hope they didn't destroy the house with all the shaking it did. Damon's power was leaking. She couldn't find it in her to do more than enjoy it. She had done that. Drove him out of control. A secret pleasure filled her of the knowledge she could make such a strong, powerful being lose control of his powers.

Damon stopped, his gaze meeting hers. The changing colours of his eyes were so beautiful and she couldn't stop herself from gasping. "You don't just make me lose control," he rumbled. "You make my body burn with the need to feel you contracting around my cock."

He lifted his hands from holding her thighs wide open, to her breasts, pulling and tweaking at her nipples, the slight burning for the pain an absolute pleasure. His lips tore from hers. He lowered his head to suck one of her erect nipples into his mouth.

"Oh, lord," Elena whimpered and shoved her breast further into his mouth.

An overload of sensations took place. His lips on her breast, his other hand drifted between her legs, rubbing over her clit. Faster. His thrusts increased in speed as did his flicks. When she thought it couldn't get better, he bit down on her nipple.

"Oh. My. God!"

She squeezed at his driving cock. Her body shuddered time after time with the intensity of her orgasm. She choked out a scream as she clenched on his dick. His moves turned faster. A growl sounded from inside him. Growing louder by the second. His thrusts increased in speed. So fast it felt as if he were on fire inside her. Her body continued to contract around him. Then it was his turn to fall. He held stiff, his cock pulsing and filling her with him.

It took long moments of heavy breathing and her hugging him close before either could move. When Damon pulled out of her, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. A soft whisper of a kiss that only reminded her how much she loved him.

"Time for real food." He winked.

"Is there any way I can convince you to bring this to bed?"

"Darling, if you promise to stay naked I will be yours to command." Damon smiled wickedly.

"I think we can work something out," Elena said, curling her hands around his neck to pull him close. She couldn't deny how much she loved holding on to him. He was her heart. She loved Damon. Insecurity tried to cool the heat from their lovemaking, but she willed it away. She needed to enjoy whatever time they had together. One thing was for sure, it wouldn't last.

x x x

Damon watched Elena refill her coffee mug. Her emotions were all over the place. He hated that she felt so distressed over them, but he wasn't letting up. She was his. He had mated her. Marked her. There was no turning back. She mumbled to herself about not getting attached to him again. He would have found it amusing if she didn't seem so serious about it.

"Are you okay?"

Her gaze jerked up to meet his. Her eyes spoke volumes to him. The vulnerability he saw in them wasn't new. He had seen that before. Right before she had decided to leave him.

"Yes, I'm good." Elena sat down at the kitchen table, put her mug in front of her along with her cousin's diary and pursed her lips. "I have been thinking about this."

She flicked the diary open and leafed through the pages. Her hand shook slightly.

Damon couldn't take it. Her pain dug into his chest and tore at his heart. "Sweetheart, stop."

Elena glanced up. The sadness in her eyes was too much for him. It shred him apart with that single look of pain.

"Tell me what is wrong?"

"This," Elena said waving her hand between them. He had known it was coming. She had been thinking so hard. Too quiet and too fidgety. "I don't know if I can do this. We have to work together. I'm your superior. This isn't going to be good for the team."

Holy crap. There was no way Damon would give her up again. Not for the team. Not for the job. Not for his own life.

"Stop it," he ordered sternly, his beast just below the skin, wanting to comfort her in her time of need. "You are stressing yourself out when you have too much on your mind."

What he really wanted to say was that there was no need to question their relationship. He wasn't letting go of her, and she wasn't going anywhere. She would get used to it. Eventually.

"Focus on your cousin. Let's find her. Everything else can wait until after."

Elena glanced down at the diary in her hand. "I called the hospital but Luis hasn't woken yet. They promised to call me as soon as he does."

"We need to talk to the sheriff," Damon said and placed his own cup down on the table with a clank. "It is about time he did something to help look for your cousin. It has been more than forty-eight hours. They should be searching for her too."

Elena nodded, her eyes filled with fear, pain and sadness. "Yes. They should. Let's split up to cover more ground." She grabbed her bag and headed for the door, opening it in a rush. "I will take the police station, and you go see about Josh."

Damon knew what she was doing. Trying to push him away. It wouldn't work, but he would let her figure that out herself. They hopped into the SUV. "That is fine. The station isn't far from that house, so it is easy enough."

"Great." Elena snapped her seatbelt and turned to him. "I have a good feeling about today."

Damon had the opposite. He could sense danger coming, but couldn't tell when or where. Power shifted at his palms, until he had to grind his teeth to hold it together. The thought of Elena in any kind of danger pushed his control to near breaking. He wouldn't allow anything to happen to her. Elena's safety was his sole priority. He didn't care what happened to him, as long as she was safe.


	14. Chapter THIRTEEN

Soon they were headed in the direction of the station. Elena had been quiet. Damon knew she had a lot on her mind. Mainly, her cousin and their relationship. She could deny it all she wanted, but he knew she wasn't going anywhere a second time. If she tried to, he would chase her to the ends of the earth. She had clearly returned because she wanted to be with him. Even if she didn't want to admit it.

When they reached the station, Elena jumped out of the SUV. "Okay, go see about Josh. I will go speak to the sheriff and meet you here?"

"If the kid isn't home I will return right away."

Less than five minutes later Damon was at the Landley home. Josh's hot rod was still missing. Damon knocked on the door, and a small blonde woman answered.

"Can I help you?"

"Hello, my name is Damon Salvatore." He showed her his ID. "I'm from the FBI and need to speak to Josh regarding Luis Gomez."

Theresa Landley frowned, her eyes coolly distant. "Why do you need to speak to my son?"

"Mrs Landley, Luis Gomez was found beaten, bloody and unconscious in an abandoned warehouse." Damon grimaced, watching the woman pale before his eyes. "Your son was the person who told us where to find Luis."

Theresa's eyes widened. Her features turned a sick shade of green under the bright sunlight. "I don't understand..."

"We don't either, ma'am. It is why we need to speak to your son," he urged.

She shook her head, short blonde hair swinging around her shoulders. "I don't know where he is. He—" She blinked and paused. "I will call the sheriff and speak to him about this. I don't believe my son would do anything to that kid."

"That would be a good idea, but do you know where we can find Josh?" Damon asked again.

"No. He left yesterday. Said he was going to go camping or something and hasn't returned."

"What about Roxy Santos. Do you know where she could be?"

Theresa's brows shot downward. "That girl. Why would I care where she is?"

Hate. Damon could feel the hatreds. There was enough of it in Theresa's tone that the words dripped acid when she spoke.

"She has been missing for over three days, and we are trying to find her," he explained.

"I don't know anything about her other than I prohibited my son from seeing her." She curled her hands into fists at her sides. "But he is weak and refused to do as I said."

Damon watched her. There wasn't anything hesitant about Theresa. She genuinely disliked Roxy, but wasn't lying about knowing where she could be. "Do you have any ideas on anyone who might know where she is?"

"Talk to her crazy mother. They are just alike. Insane," she muttered and stepped into her house. "I don't know where that girl is, and I don't know where Josh went. If I hear from him, I will have him come into the police station and straighten this all out."

"Thank you." Damon didn't bother handing her a card to call him. He knew she would just throw it out.

x x x

Elena marched into the police station ready for a showdown. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be anyone there to make that happen.

"Hello?" she yelled over the quiet counter. Then the sound of a toilet flushing reached her, followed by heavy steps on the wooden floor.

The young deputy showed up from around a corner. "You are back."

He said the words with surprise. Elena didn't know why. It wasn't like she would just forget her cousin was missing, and Luis was in the hospital.

"Yeah, I'm back. I need to speak to the sheriff," she demanded. She didn't care being nice anymore. "Where is he?"

"Sorry, ma'am, but he said I shouldn't talk to you. That you have no reason to be here, and that he called your superiors."

Elena clenched her jaw and tried not to yell at the kid. It wasn't his fault the Sheriff was an incompetent. "What superiors?"

The deputy reached into his pocket and pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper. "A Mr Maxfield."

Damn. Elena frowned. "What did he say?"

"Mr Maxfield said you weren't on a case for the Bureau and didn't have any permission to be here asking questions." He folded the paper and shoved it into his shirt pocket. "In fact, Mr Maxfield said he would come over and make sure you weren't giving us any trouble."

 _Great. Just great,_ Elena thought. _This is what I need._ "Where is your sheriff, Deputy?"

"Sheriff Young is out on patrol. I told him about the boy you found in the warehouse, and he decided to go see what information he could gather on that."

 _Useless,_ Elena thought. The whole lot of them were completely useless. She did an about face, fuming over her lack of progress and rushed out the door. So much for a great day.

Beads of sweat gathered on her upper lip with each hurried step she took out of the station. Outside, things were even worse.

It started to rain heavily, the sky dark with clouds after Elena had already walked a decent amount towards the Landley home. She cursed her bad luck and decided to continue to move. She would meet Damon halfway. Squinting against the rush of raindrops, she chastised herself for not going with him to begin with. She wanted some action. Some answers. Something! Roxy was still missing and now she had more questions than she started with.

Where the hell was the sheriff, anyway? She stayed on the side of the road, not that there were many cars in Holy Oak. Besides, at that time of the day most people were working. Not to mention the town and the number of people in it could probably fit in their office building. The rain let up quickly, but she was already wet.

A honk blared past her. Her heartbeat tripped. Damn that was close. She took a quick peek over her shoulder for safety. If she hadn't, she might have missed the car zooming right for her. Instinct pushed her to jump into the cascade of trees to her right. She tumbled down an incline, rolling through the grass. Rocks bit into her arms, cutting her skin open. The world shifted with each roll she did, until she came to a stop. Her stomach took longer to make its own stop. A sense of vertigo took over, and she was instantly nauseous. She panted, shaking from the almost hit and the adrenaline rush.

"Yeah. Great day."

Elena stood, wincing at the pain on her right ankle. It didn't feel broken, but she must have sprained it on her roll down the hill.

For a moment, she sat there, wondering what to do next. Her phone rang, pulling her out of her musings.

"Are you okay?"

It was Damon. Elena didn't even want to ask how he knew something was wrong.

"Yeah, fine. I think an old lady almost ran me over just now."

"Where are you?" he asked, the almost growled words enough to make her heartbeat speed up all over again. "I just came to the station, and you are not here."

Elena glanced around her. Trees surrounded her. She turned to the incline and bit her lip. "If you head towards the Landley home, I'm not far from the station."

"Stay there," Damon ordered. "I'm coming for you."

She heard more fear through the phone. Genuine dread over her safety sounded in his voice. "That works. My ankle hurts."

Elena attempted to crawl up the incline, but gave up after every other move she made she slid further down.

"Elena?" Damon yelled.

"Down here!"

Elena watched Damon slowly use the trees to make his way down to her. Then he stopped in front of her and crouched. He picked her up in his arms, lifting her slowly to cradle her against his chest. She curled her arms around his neck and pressed as close to him as possible. It wasn't that she was scared. _Okay, maybe a little,_ she thought. Almost being run over could do that to a person. It felt so right to be close to him.

"Let's get your foot checked out in the hospital," he said, his breath heating the side of her face.

"Okay, we can probably see about Luis. Hopefully, he has woken up," she said, clinging to him.

Damon held her tight in his grasp as he made his way up the incline. The SUV was parked on the side of the road. He slid her into the passenger side. Elena met his worried gaze and smiled.

"I'm okay. Just a scratch."

Damon leaned down, pressing his lips hard on hers. Bruising. Owning. His hand cupped her cheek, fingers sliding down to her jaw. Their tongues rubbed, twined, a perfect mambo of need and pleasure. Passion flared to life in her chest. Their kiss turned aggressive, his lips fully branded her as his. Her heartbeat tripped, each beat thumping loud in her ears. There was a desperate edge to the kiss. As if he were ensuring she was okay through the connecting touch. Fire lanced her lungs, a reminder to breathe. He leaned back. Enough to stare into her eyes with his blue-grey ones.

"I need you, Elena. You are everything," he whispered, the words a soft growl.

"Not everything," she denied.

"Yes. Everything. My everything" he said. "You are my life."

Elena couldn't help it, couldn't stop her hands from taking control. She pulled Damon into her arms and hugged him. Hard. Not because she had been hurt, or because she had dodged what could have been a severe injury, no. She hugged him to hold the feeling of belonging to him, with him, in her heart. She would have to quit. There was just no way she could stay on the job and keep her hands away from him. This weekend had been eye-opening. She had known it might be difficult to work with him, but she hadn't counted on her love for him pushing its way to the forefront and taking charge.

Damon pulled back, ran his hand over her cheek once more and shut her door. She hoped Luis had woken. She needed to know what he knew about Roxy's disappearance. Hopefully, something that could help them.

"Alright." She sighed and stood, trying not to put too much pressure on her bandaged foot. "Let's go see if Luis is awake."

Damon offered to carry her, but she wasn't completely useless. She limped beside him to the ICU.

They stopped outside Luis's door. Damon's eyes flashed red.

"What is wrong?" Elena whispered.

"The sheriff is in there with Luis," Damon murmured.

"Great. Let's go see what the heck he is going to do about this mess." Elena pushed the door open.

"Elena, wait—"

Too late. The door shoved inward, and Elena gasped when she caught the sheriff holding Luis by his shirt, gun in hand.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" she yelled.

The sheriff shoved his hand down, dropping the boy back in the bed, but she had already seen him. "I was just asking Luis here about the injuries he suffered."

Elena glanced up at Damon. His face was set to stony hard lines. "Get away from him."

The sheriff shoved away from Luis. Elena ran to the boy. He was barely awake, still under the influence of his pain medication.

"Hey, now. What the hell are you two doing in my town anyway?" The sheriff rushed forward. "I called your FBI office," he spat. "You two don't have any permission to come nosing into my town."

"My cousin is missing, and you haven't done anything to find her."

The sheriff waved his gun in her direction. "I told you to get out of my town. Or you are going to regret it."

Elena didn't get a chance to speak. The air in the room thickened to almost oppressive. She jerked to give Damon a long sideways glance. His gaze locked on the sheriff.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Damon growled, his voice animalistic. Rough.

The sheriff gasped. "What the hell are you?"

"Not someone you want to shoot at."

But the sheriff didn't listen. Everything moved in slow motion. Not because Elena was scared, but it seemed Damon controlled the gun and bullet with his mind. The pop sounded, and the bullet shot out, fast at first. She screamed a warning. The slowed and stopped in front of Damon's face before dropping to his open palm.

Elena's heart slowed to a crawl. She knew he was strong, but that didn't matter when a bullet was rushing for his head. Alarm locked her muscles in place. Fear for him almost choked the air out of her lungs. He didn't move. She watched his features turn feral, the red in his eyes glowing so bright it almost hurt to look at.

Then everything shifted to real time. She gasped and glanced at the sheriff. He stood there, frozen in place.

"Damon?" Elena rushed to Damon's side, wanting to be near him.

"He did that," Damon said in another round of rumbles.

Elena blinked at the sheriff. Even without his movement, the fear in his eyes now evident. "What?"

"He beat up the kid."

She gasped. "Why?"

"The girl at the morgue is Luis's half-sister," he said, his eyes slowly dimming from the blazing red to a red-black combination. "They tried to blackmail him. Them and your cousin. The three combined to blackmail people having affairs."

"How would they know?" Elena turned to Damon fully, a million questions suddenly popping into her mind.

"Roxy," he said, meeting her gaze. "She caught them doing things and wrote down the letters and numbers in her diary. Then she told Luis, and his half-sister suggested blackmail to make some money. To be able to leave town."

"So did the sheriff also kill the other girl?"

Damon nodded, cocking his head to the side as if still digging through the sheriff's brain. "He promised to meet up and pay her, but instead strangled her to death."

Elena gulped, unsure if she really wanted to hear the rest. "What did he do with Roxy?" She pushed away the nausea riding the back of her throat. "Did he kill her too?"

"No. I know he wanted to, but he doesn't know where she is."

"No!" Elena screamed. "I don't believe it!"

"We will find her," Damon promised. "We won't leave until we do. But first, let's get someone in to take this piece of shit to jail."

Thankfully, the hospital sat on the border of the next town, so they waited to get a different, competent, sheriff to come in and arrest Sheriff Young.

Luis groaned, waking from sleep. Elena rushed to his side.

"Luis?"

He blinked his eyes open. "Yes. Where am I?"

"The hospital, Luis."

The kid glanced around, his eyes filled with fear. "Who are you?"

"My name is Elena Gilbert. I'm Roxy's cousin. I need to know when the last time you saw her was." Her words tripped over each other in her haste.

"Before the sheriff caught me at the warehouse. She'd had an argument with her mother."

"Did she tell you where she might go?"

He shook his head, his eyes dull with pain. "She knew her mum would punish her, so she came to see me to tell me to be careful with the sheriff."

Jenna would punish Roxy? That didn't make sense. "Punish her how?"

"I don't know. She never wanted to talk about it."

But Jenna didn't know where Roxy was. If she did, she wouldn't have called Elena in order to find her. It didn't make sense.

"Thanks, Luis." She watched him drift to sleep.

"I'm taking the SUV," Elena said to Damon. He had cuffed the sheriff with his own handcuffs and watched him from other side of the room. "I need to speak to Jenna again. She must have missed something. Maybe a place Roxy would go when angry or upset. I don't know."

He handed her the keys. His hand held her wrist for a moment. "Be careful."

"I will."


	15. Chapter FOURTEEN

Elena arrived at Jenna's house just as the sun started to set. She knocked on the door, waiting impatiently for Jenna to open.

As usual, Jenna's eyes had that confused look to them. "Hi, Lena Come in, it is time for tea."

 _Talk about Déjà vu,_ Elena thought. Hadn't they had that same conversation at least twice before?

She followed behind Jenna to the kitchen. She sat down on the kitchen table, drumming her fingers on the plastic tablecloth.

"Jenna, are you sure you don't know where Roxy could be?" she asked, her voice pitched with dread. "She might have told you. Maybe given you a hint?"

"No, Lena." Jenna placed a white porcelain tea cup in front of her filled with steaming tea. "Oh," Jenna gasped. "I think I might have something that could help your search."

 _Finally!_ Elena thought. _She is willing to tell me finally!_

"Yes, sure. Please. Whatever you have bring it here," she rushed out.

Jenna left the kitchen for a moment. Hopefully, whatever she found could be of some use in the search for Roxy.

"Here you go, Lena." Jenna placed an album next to Elena.

A family photo album. Not exactly the kind of breakthrough Elena had been hoping for.

"You are probably the only person that still calls me Lena since my mother died. You can call me Elena, Jenna."

"What?" Jenna screeched from behind her.

Elena smiled, glancing at the first photo in the album, a sweet picture of Roxy as a newborn.

Elena's cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID. It was Caroline. She would give her a call in a few minutes.

"I said you can call me Elena. Most people do." Elena flipped to the next photo, Roxy and her parents. A much younger Jenna stared dazedly at the baby.

"And are you?"

Elena looked up. "Am I what?" she asked, confused. But Jenna didn't answer her. She glimpsed at the next shot. Toddler Roxy, playing with an old raggedy doll. The smile slid off her face. It was the doll. The same one from her dreams.

"Are you sin?"

She had a hard time concentrating on what Jenna said when she flicked photo after photo to see Roxy growing with the raggedy doll in most shots.

"Is this doll Roxy's?" she asked, wondering what it meant for her to have dreamt about the doll.

"No. It is mine," Jenna replied.

"Oh." That didn't really help her.

Her phone rang again. "Hi Caroline, sorry I'm kind of busy right now."

"Elena, where are you?" Caroline asked in a rush. "I had a vision, of you."

"Are you?" Jenna asked again, her voice rougher than before behind her.

Elena was having a hard time keeping up with both women talking at once. "I'm at Jenna's place, hang on."

"Elena, no!"

"What was that Jenna?" Elena glanced over her shoulder, but was too slow to move out of the way of the frying pan traveling to slam against the side of her face. Pain blasted through the side of her skull, down her jaw, and up to her temple. Another whack with the heavy metal, and her head hit the table. Her vision swam. Fear and distress turned her blood ice cold. She slid off the chair, fell to the floor, her face throbbing in pain. The phone fell right out of her hands.

White spots danced before her eyes. She lifted a hand to the side of her face. Something wet and sticky dripped down the side of her temple, matting her hair in wet clumps. She had trouble focusing on her fingers, but she could tell there was blood all over them.

"Jenna?"

Her aunt stood over her, watching her with angry eyes. She lifted the frying pan again. "Not Jenna, Mercy. Jenna went away for a little bit. I'm sorry, Elena. We can't have sinners in our house."

The frying pan came down on her head again. Everything went black.

X x x

Damon watched the Olde Towne PD remove Sheriff Young from Luis Gomez's hospital room. His attention focused on the man rushing down the hall toward him.

"Maxfield. What are you doing here?" he growled.

"Relax. I came here to make sure Elena was okay." He glanced behind Damon, waiting for her to appear.

"She is not here. She went to her aunt's place."

Maxfield's eyes widened, real fear in them. Palpable dread drifted from him. "You let her go there alone?"

Why wouldn't he? "That is her aunt. It is her family."

Maxfield cursed and rushed down the hall. Damon caught up to him quickly, his steps eating the marble floor in the hospital. "What is it?" he asked. "Why shouldn't she see her aunt?"

"It is a long story." Maxfield pressed the elevator button but gave up and ran for the stairs.

Damon grabbed him by the arm, stopping him mid-stride. "Tell me!"

"Jenna is sick. Very sick."

Damon's heart took a nosedive. "How sick?"

"She suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder. When she is feeling nice, she is Jenna. When she is not, she is psychotic. She becomes a completely different person, Mercy."

"Multiple personalities? How do you know this?"

There was a brief silence.

Damon narrowed his eyes. "How do you know this, Maxfield? Tell me!"

"Because," Maxfield sighed before continuing, "her father told me about it. Grayson Gilbert was my mentor when I first joined the Bureau. He told me everything about his family."

"Where is Elena's father?" Damon choked out.

They continued running down the stairs while Maxfield hurried through the story. "Grayson met Miranda, Elena's mother, when she was twenty-one. She was going to college, and they fell in love."

They ran out of the building to the parking lot, rushing into Maxfield's car. Sirens wailed around them of ambulances arriving with emergencies.

"They had been together a few months before she got pregnant."

Damon watched emotions play out over Maxfield's normally unmoving features. "What happened?"

"About a year into their marriage, she started showing signs of mental illness. Hallucinations. Hearing voices. She would be happy one minute, then angry the next. Not just regular hormonal altered states, no. Violent outbursts followed by extreme depression. But she refused to get help." Maxfield shook his head and then slammed on the brakes when they found themselves stuck in traffic. "It was worse after Miranda had given birth to Elena."

 _Jesus,_ Damon swore silently.

"With time, she got worse, not better. Her sister, Jenna also started showing signs of the same disease in her early twenties. Not as progressive, but enough to need full-time care. Grayson couldn't handle a sick wife and a sick sister-in-law. So he left."

"Where is he now?"

"He went to Dubai but died o cancer a few years ago."

"Did Elena know about her father's death?"

"Yes." Maxfield pressed the horn, the sound ear-splitting above the other people doing the same. As if that would get the line of red tail lights moving. He glanced at Damon, his eyes full of misery. "Elena was angry. I know Grayson made a terrible mistake but he was young and he didn't know how to deal with his wife having mental problem. He did regret leaving Elena behind to be raised by her uncle."

"Did Elena know about her mother's mental problems?"

"I think so."

"And Jenna?"

"As I said, Jenna would have done okay if she would have taken her medication, and for years she did. She married and had a daughter, but once her husband died, she chose to shift her focus into religion and became so entrenched in it that she gave up her medicine thinking to be cured by the power of her parish."

"Only that didn't happen."

Maxfield shook his head. "No. She has been spending the past year getting worse. I always worried she would call on Elena, and so I tried to keep tabs on where Elena was at all times. It was my way of protecting her. Making sure she was safe. I promise Grayson I would look after her."

Damon frowned. "You would look after her?"

"Yes!" Maxfield shot him a quick glance. "I'm not going to lie to you, Salvatore. I like Elena very much. I have liked her since I first met her."

Maxfield's declaration left Damon suspended in a taut silence. After several moments passed, Damon looked over at Maxfield. "I love her."

Maxfield expelled his breath. "I know. And I know Elena loves you. Right now, I only care about her safety."

Damon nodded, his fear turning his muscles stiff. "Why do you think Jenna would hurt Elena?"

"A few days ago, I got a report from Roxy's, Jenna's daughter's, school counsellor, informing me that she showed signs of physical abuse. When questioned, Roxy said her mother had a bad temper when she disobeyed."

"Why didn't anyone do anything to help her? To protect her?" Damon demanded.

Maxfield sighed. "This is a small town, and the sheriff didn't give a crap, nobody did anything. I had already arranged to come here next week."

"If Jenna's disease causes her to turn violent, can she also forget having done things?"

"Yes, it is very likely she is the one who caused her daughter's disappearance during one of her episodes. She could have blacked it out and not remembered. She could have killed her and not remembered." Maxfield met his gaze with his own worried one. "She is a ticking time bomb that can go off at any moment. If Jenna pushes her too hard, she could explode."

"Damn," Damon cursed silently.

The traffic line started to move slowly. Too slowly for his peace of mind. Meanwhile, he dialled Elena's cell but got no answer.

"Is this mental illness hereditary?" he asked, thinking of the woman he loved and how she could cope knowing her mother and other family members suffered from mental disease.

"There is a blood test that can check for the bio markers of Schizophrenia, which is what Miranda and Jenna suffered from. I don't know if Jenna has ever done it, but it is probably a good way to rule out the disease could show up in the future."

"What are the chances she could have it, though?"

Maxfield pursed his lips, weaving his way through traffic. "Mirnada showed signs in her early twenties. Jenna was the same. Elena's medical records don't show any signs of any kind of mental instability. But like anything, if it's hereditary, it can show up at any time."

Damon growled, punching the call button repeatedly only to be sent into Elena's voice mail.

They took the shoulder and rushed past the slow-moving vehicles. Within moments, they were rushing down the main street to turn at the dirt road the led them to Jenna's old house.

Damon jumped out of the car before Maxfield had a chance to stop, focused solely on finding Elena.

He kicked the front door open, rushed inside but there was no noise. The scent of blood smacked him at the kitchen entrance. His chest almost caved at the sight of the puddle of blood on the table, dripping down to the glossy wood floor.

The beast inside him pushed out. Power danced over him, shaking the house to its foundation, everything around him a hazy red.

"Damon, is she—" Maxfield stopped, his gun drawn, and his expression tight with anger.

Damon lifted a hand to stop Maxfield from talking further. It was time to find Elena. A loud growl rolled from within his lips. Then he heard it, the voices. Distant, but still inside the house. He pushed his power out, searching for his woman. He jerked to his right, darting at an inhuman speed to the door leading down to the basement.

"Now, Elena, I will help you rid yourself of those sins you carry," a woman whispered. "It is no good to live in sin."

"Jenna, stop," Elena mumbled. "Look at your daughter, Jenna. She needs help. You need to get her to a hospital."

"I already told you, my name is Mercy. I will have mercy on your soul and save you both," she sing-songed.

Elena's pain and fear urged him to her. To rid them of the danger.

He took the steps softly, his gaze intent on his target. Jenna. The moment he could visually connect he would be able to push into her mind.

"Jenna, what are you doing?" Elena screamed.

The sound further prompted him to reach her. Elena sat on the concrete floor, bleeding from the side of her face. The other woman, Jenna, stood above her, a large kitchen knife in her hand.

With a single mental command, he shoved the raging woman away from Elena and hurled her against the wall. He held her there. Trapped with his power.

"Who are you?" she screamed, her body contorted, struggling to move. "Get out of my house!"

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop the invisible binds holding her trapped to the wall.

Damon rushed forward to Elena. His heart almost stopped at how swollen and bruised the side of her face was. He felt her for other injuries. She winced at the long gash and knot on the side of her head.

He cut her loose from the metal bar Jenna had tied her to.

"Maxfield? What are you doing here?" she asked glancing at the foot of the stairs.

Maxfield marched forward and released Roxy from the binds holding her hostage.

"I had a feeling you might need my help," Maxfield muttered, cutting the rope from Roxy's legs.

"Thank you." She bit her lip, brow furrowed in worry. "She needs a hospital. Jenna had her down here all this time, days." She glanced at an unconscious Roxy. "I don't know if she has fed her at all, but it is clear she hit her."

Elena threw her arms around his neck, holding Damon tight. The ache in his chest loosened, though he had a hard time stopping the shaking in his hands.

"You need a hospital too, sweetheart."

"I'm okay." She sighed into his neck. "I have you."


	16. Chapter FIFTEEN

Elena glanced at Roxy's pale bruised body lying on the hospital bed. She had been given heavy painkillers to help with the broken leg her mother had given her.

The door pushed open. Maxfield walked in. Damon had left the room to speak to Enzo.

"How is she?" Maxfield asked.

Elena turned to face him. They had never been close. When he told her about her father's death, she was angry. Grayson hadn't wanted her because he couldn't cope with a wife with a mental illness. Maxfield had told her he would look after her on behalf of Grayson but she had refused to allow him into her life. Until he offered her the job that would bring her to Damon.

"She will be okay. They were able to reset her leg and don't think she will have a visible limp." Elena winced remembering the doctor telling her they would have to break Roxy's leg again before they could try to fix it. "She was dehydrated, but they think in a few days she will be fine."

"I'm sorry about Jenna," he said, as he shoved his hands into his pockets and rolled his shoulders.

"It is okay. I didn't realize how sick is she. I should have helped her earlier."

He shook his head. "No, there is nothing you can do."

"I do look like her."

"Yeah, in some ways, you do look like Jenna but you are not her," Maxfield said.

Elena sighed. "Thanks for helping."

It was hard. Much harder than she had thought it would be to acknowledge the disease eating her family's mental health. It was the reason she wouldn't, couldn't stay with Damon.

"I know this is hard on you. But I know you will succeed without this hovering over you."

"You should give Damon his job as lead." Elena met Maxfield's dark gaze. "He deserves to be in charge. We both know that. Besides, I don't think I can work with him anymore."

Maxfield lifted a dark bushy brow. "Why? You have been at the job for all of a week and you are ready to quit?" He glanced at Roxy then at Elena. "I didn't take you for a quitter."

"I'm not a quitter, but he and I…" She sighed, not wanting to but having to admit things to Maxfield of all people. "We have a history and I'm not sure I can lead this group, work beside him and keep it professional."

"Elena, this team is different than others," he explained. "They are all special, remember?"

Elena nodded, her own words being repeated to her. "I know that."

"That means there are certain rules we don't enforce with the paranormal unit. Like fraternizing." His lips curved in the first smile she had ever seen on his face.

"Fraternizing?"

"Yes. Mason and Jules are married and will continue to work together on this team. If you are concerned about having a relationship with Damon, don't be. Tanner has specifically stated this group is different than all others. We don't have enough paranormal units that we can make rules and force anyone out of the team. As such you aren't bound by the same limitations the rest in the department are."

Nice to know but that wasn't her problem. Elena shook her head. "I have that in my blood," she said. She knew he understood. "That same illness that runs through the family. The same one my mother had. The same one Jenna has."

"You don't know that for sure," Maxfield said sternly. "You can get a blood test to be sure."

Elena had thought about it. But the truth was she had been afraid of finding out if her worst nightmares might actually come true. She turned to glance at Roxy's pale bruised features. She and Jenna had a resemblance, but Roxy's hair was much lighter than Jenna's

"What is going to happen with her?"

Guilt squeezed at her gut. This was her cousin. She should do something to try to help her.

"She is going for medical evaluations to see if she has got the same problem as her mother. She is then going to be sent for physical and mental rehabilitation."

Elena bit her lip. "And then?"

"Her late father's mother would like to get custody of her." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "They are nice people, Elena. I have had them checked out. They lost touch with Jenna and Roxy when Jenna stopped taking her meds almost two years ago and refused to have anything to do with them."

"Her father is not around?" She blinked back tears for the girl. Her mother was going to be locked in a mental institution for a while, possibly forever.

"No, he died in a car crash two years ago. But she knows her father's family. She called them from time to time to speak to her grandmother. She will be okay with them."

Elena nodded. Still, she wanted to be a part of Roxy's life. It was not her cousin's fault their genes were screwed up.

Then there was Damon. God. It hurt to think of how much she loved him and what she would do for him. One of those things would be to leave. She knew he would want forever. He would want a family. When his parents died working for the government, he had been left all alone. He had always told her he wanted children. And she couldn't give him that.

Elena's heart clenched. She loved him too much to put him at the risk of being with her and the possibility she might end up sick. Or worse, for them to have children with the same illness. She could handle a lot of things, but putting the man she loved in the position to deal with a sick family was not one of them.

"Give Damon his job back, Wes." She called him by his first name for the first time ever. "I'm going to request a transfer."

Maxfield shook his head, rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "I will give you a few days to think it over before I bring it up to Tanner. He was very excited to have you lead the team. Your record with extractions is impeccable."

"I can't."

"Damon won't be happy if you request a transfer."

"I know."

"He loves you."

"I know."

"Then you should stay. For him. For both of you."

"I can't."

"You can, Elena. You are strong."

"Thanks, but sometimes you have to sacrifice yourself to ensure the happiness of the people you love."


	17. Chapter SIXTEEN

The lights in Elena's house flickered. She had just walked in the door when she noticed the dimness. Just what she needed, a power failure. She should call Caroline and let her know she was okay. After her friend tried to warn her about seeing Elena in danger, she had been very concerned for her. She tried to reassure her constantly, but Caroline was such a lovely friend that she still called to make sure Elena was okay.

Elena flicked the lights on and off, but they continued to stay dim.

"Great." She had been saved from having to spend time with the team for the past few days. Out of town meetings with superiors and possible cases had her taken away from them. She had ignored all of Damon's calls. It hurt to do it, but she needed to start distancing from him. To help him cope when she finally transferred from the team.

Elena kicked her heels off and shoved her luggage next to the sofa, the wheels squeaking with the push. Exhaustion pulled at her muscles. She had been traveling for two days straight, and she needed a hot bath. She shoved down the suit pants as she walked, almost tripped on her own feet and headed for her bedroom. With a few wiggles, she kicked the pants away and tugged the silky blouse above her head. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed a pair of cuffs locked on to the wooden bars on her headboard.

Her breathing increased in speed. She padded next to the bed. There was nothing different than the last time she had been in her room. Only the cuffs attached to her headboard.

"What the hell is this?"

A gust of wind pushed her forward. Instinctively, Elena grabbed on the headboard so as not to fall on her face on the mattress. Metal clinked. Her vision swooped down. The cuff was securely attached to her wrist.

Another burst of wind and she landed on her back on the bed, one arm pulled above her head.

"This isn't funny, Damon!" she growled. "Get out here now!"

Damon stepped out of a darkened corner of her room. _Bastard,_ Elena though. He had been standing there that whole time.

"Let me out of these you jerk!"

She probably could have said that nicely, but she was tired, hungry and needed a damn shower. She wasn't feeling very nice at that particular moment.

Instead of loosening the cuff, her loose hand pressed against the bars, as if it had a mind of its own and the second set of cuffs locked her wrist into a secure hold.

"Damon!" Elena screeched his name, no longer with any trace of patience. Frustration had become a constant inside her since she wasn't near him. She missed him, damn it.

"No," Damon said softly. He took slow steps towards her, stopping at the foot of the bed to roam his gaze up her almost naked body.

Embers sparked inside her, spreading down to her body with the intensity of a forest fire.

"What." She swallowed past the knot in her throat. "What are you doing here?"

She watched him remove his shirt, his muscles contracting with every move.

"I came to take back what is mine."

She swallowed again. "And what is that?"

"You," he said, his eyes glowing a bright gold. "You are mine. Don't bother denying it because you have the mark to prove it."

"Damon, we aren't going to get back together," Elena mumbled, her eyes glued to the hand undoing his jeans. If life really loved her, he would take those pants off asap, she thought.

"I wasn't aware we had broken things off again."

The zipper hissed on its descent. Elena licked her lips and stared as the denim slid down his legs to reveal his fully erect cock.

"Well." She blinked. It didn't do any good. She couldn't will her eyes away from his erection. In fact, her only thoughts centred on tasting him. "I have never said we are back together."

"Don't give me that bullshit. You want me."

"That is not true!" She lied.

"Don't lie, sweetheart."

"Damon, let me go!"

"If that is how you want to begin, I will be more than happy to bring my body to you."

 _Hell yes!_ She thought as she looked at his naked chest. _You have no idea how much I want you._

Damon grinned. "You are projecting. I find your enthusiasm over my being naked incredibly refreshing." He wrapped a hand around his stiff length and jerked. Her throat went sandpaper dry. "Not to mention it is hot to know you want to suck my cock until I come down your throat."

"Damon, you…" Elena took a breath and squeezed her legs tight. Her body was betraying her and it leaked her need for him, and she knew he smelled how hot she was for him. "I…we can't."

Damon crawled up the bed by her feet. He curled his hand around her ankles and spread her legs apart. He inhaled.

"Ah, yes, there is that sweetness that drives me crazy."

"Damon, I quit the team," she blurted out.

His finger trailed up her legs to her thighs. She couldn't stop the muscles under his palms from trembling.

"You can do whatever you want, Elena. I'm not going anywhere." He tugged down her panties, carefully removing the damp bit of lace to then return to her wet folds. He scooted down, until he was laying between her legs and glanced up. "What you need to understand is that no matter what job you have, or what team you lead, I'm not going anywhere. You are mine. And you are staying mine."

"Damon…" She took short puffs of air, watching him place tiny kisses in her inner thigh. "I can't be with you. Can't give you what you want."

He rubbed his cheek on her thigh. "And what is it I want?"

"More than I can give," Elena mumbled, breathless.

"Right now, all I want is the taste of you coming on my face," Damon said with a steadfast determination she had come to know as solely his.

Oxygen froze in her chest as his lips slowly brushed her inner thigh to reach the centre of her pleasure. With a single-minded swipe, he licked her from ass to front. Groans tore up her throat without a hiss of warning. "Damon!"

He pressed closer, lips encompassed her clit and laved the tiny nerve bundle with quick flicks. Her legs pressed him closer, his lips and tongue working her entrance. In. Out. Faster. Harder. Then he added a finger, and her whimper turned into a moan for more.

"God, please…"

Elena tugged on the cuffs to no avail. There was no getting free until he let her. He controlled the situation. Along with her body. His unwavering licking and finger fucking drove her to near breaking in seconds. She thrashed on the bed, curled her fingers on the wood bars she was strapped to and let her body race toward release.

"Damon, God, Damon…" Her legs shook, her belly quivered. Her entire focus shifted to the impending orgasm. She hovered just above the ledge, ready to take flight.

She took a breath and lost it. He sucked on her clit, grazing blunt human teeth on the throbbing bit of flesh. Tension unravelled fast, and she soared. Her body floated on the wave of release, her scream for him choked and breathless.

Her lungs felt ready to cave in. She blinked to try and get rid of the spots dancing before her eyes.

"Damon, let me loose," she moaned and met his gaze.

"Why should I?" His lips tipped up in a dark and sexy grin.

"It is my turn to taste you." She watched him sit on his heels, his cock fully erect, a slight sheen from his aroused state coating the head.

"How about I just bring myself to you?" he suggested.

Seemed she wasn't being uncuffed just yet. At least she would get a chance to repay him in kind. She smiled and licked her lips. "If you come closer, I can make my lips work magic."

"If that is the case…"

The cuffs clicked. Elena didn't get a chance to say or do much, but her body somehow did it for her. The world shifted and she was on her knees in front of him, her arms now at her back, cuffed again. "You got some kind of fetish for having me at your mercy?"

Damon grinned. "Maybe." He lifted an eyebrow, eyeing her mouth with interest. "I believe you promised magic?"

She sat and he moved forward until his cock hovered by her lips. His strong fingers dug into her hair, cupping the back of her head and pressing her forward. With a long slow lick, she worked her way up his cock. She swiped her tongue from side to side at the crown and sucked on his slit.

"Jesus!"

Elena bit back a grin. They hadn't been explosive just because he had an amazing cock. She had some pretty good tricks too. Cheeks hollowed in, she sucked him into her mouth. He was big. Thick. She had learned long ago that she had to work him into her mouth in gentle presses.

She hummed at the back of her throat, pulled off and sucked him in again. Her skin burned, need prevalent in every move she made. He pushed and pulled in strong thrusts. Each one faster than the last. His hold on her head tightened. She hollowed her cheeks tighter. Rubbed her tongue on the underside of his length and sucked.

His body tensed, stomach sucked in, muscles tight to show his amazing abs.

Her jaw burned. She didn't care, she wanted more. He propelled back, his cock leaving her lips with a wet shine. Her gaze rushed up to meet his, and her heart clenched at his feral possessive smile. There was that barely controlled animal of his. She could sense his power and beast close at bay.

"Do you want me to uncuff you?"

Elena blinked. The cuffs added that extra kink she hadn't had with him before. "No, they can stay."

His wolfish grin widened. "Good. Now I want to bury deep inside you and make sure you are filled with me."

 _Well, okay then,_ Elena thought. _That could work._

She woke in Damon' arms an hour later. A smile floated over her lips. God. The man was amazing with those cuffs. Not to mention he had remembered her favourite brand of lube and brought some with him. Her ass was still sore from the riding he gave her.

"I really can't give you what you want, Damon," Elena said more to herself than him.

"What exactly do you think I want?" Damon rumbled, the sound sexy as hell even after the many times she had heard it.

"A family. A wife. Children. I can't."

"Is that why you left me when I proposed?" he asked.

"Yes. Damon, there is severe mental illness in my family, and I'm a possible carrier."

He cupped her face, tilting her head to meet his gaze. "Have you been tested?"

"Not yet, no. But the probability is high. And I love you too much to put you through a lifetime of caring for me if my mind decides to go that route." She hurried the words out.

"Haven't you learned yet what you mean to me? A life without you is just a shell of an existence, love."

Oh lord. How could she deny someone with those kinds of words anything?

"Damon, even if I'm not a carrier, my children could be." Elena licked her lips. "I made a decision a long time ago I wouldn't have children."

"Sweetheart, you might change your mind."

She shook her head. "I got my tubes tied. I didn't want to take any chances. I wanted to have my reproductive organs removed, but my gynaecologist wouldn't do it. He said I was too young and might change my mind."

Damon cocked his head. "I could live an entire lifetime with you, and only you, and be completely happy."

Her heart melted. "Oh, Damon. Are you sure? I know you always wanted kids, a family."

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You are my family. It is your smile that fills me with pleasure. It is your hand I want to hold through the darkest and happiest times. Nothing and no one else matters more to me than you. As long as I have you, I don't need anything else."

"What about kids?" Elena wanted to believe him, her heart almost broke with the sweet words he said.

"You are my mate. My other half. The only one I need." Resolution deepened the lines of his face. "Children are nice and if you feel the need to increase our family, there is always adoption. But the reality is that all I need—today, tomorrow and always…is you."

Damon was right. She had forgotten all about that. They didn't have to have biological children to have a family. They didn't need children at all. They just needed each other.


	18. Epilogue

"So I guess I can't quit, huh?" Elena grinned, sitting behind her desk glancing from Damon to Wes.

Both men shook their heads.

"You're stuck." Damon's eyes flashed black. "With me."

"Tanner says you are it and he is not looking for someone else." Wes smiled. She had recently started to speak to him more often, with less hostility. Their conversations mainly centred on Roxy and cases. She knew Wes cared about her and she was grateful for that. She would never fall for him but she could treat him as a friend.

"Besides, we just got a new recruit." Damon winked and passed her a file.

"Really? Who is it?" She asked, opening the folder to a photo of a woman. Clearly a beautiful woman with her brown hair tied back and her hazel eyes staring straight at the camera, unsmiling.

"Meredith Fell," Wes replied. "She will be good for this team. We used to be in the same class when we were in university."

"You know her quite well," Elena said.

"We did go out for dinner last weekend," Wes said. "Catch up dinner."

Elena eyed the description of her new team member, something clearly missing from her file. "Doesn't say what her ability is."

"She would like to discuss that with you herself," Wes said, shrugging as if he didn't understand what the big deal was. He stood to go. "Call me if you need anything."

Her cell phone rang as Wes walked out of her office, which left her alone with Damon. She hit the speaker button and waited.

"Hello, Enzo."

"Hey, Boss lady. So glad you are staying on board," he said with an urgency not familiar with his voice.

"Thank you, but I have a feeling that is not why you called me."

She leaned in her seat and took a moment to just watch her man. Damon was so hot her body heated with just a smile from him.

"So, here is the thing," Enzo said without his usual humour. "I want to know why Bonnie's file begins on the day she joined the academy."

Elena grinned. He was finally paying attention. "Sorry, that's classified."

"Since when is someone's file classified?" he growled.

Uh-oh. Someone had his tail in a knot. "I can't help you if you want to talk about Bonnie, Enzo."

He growled again, and she heard something break. "This is crazy. How is it that she has no family history? Nothing. How the hell am I supposed to find her?"

"Enzo, I'm sorry. I can't tell you where Bonnie is." She smiled at Damon's lifting of his brows. "She has something urgent to do."

"Maybe I can help her. That's why I need to find her."

"Well, I'm not supposed to tell you where she is. But I can tell you that if you happen to be looking for her, the information on where to find it is right in that 'fake' file."

Silence. Then. "Shit! I didn't even think of it. Thank you, Boss." Enzo's voice returned to humorous. She kind of enjoyed that side of the shifter. It made their job not so…harsh. A bit of humour wouldn't hurt. "There is one more thing," he said as she was about to hang up.

"What is that, Enzo?"

"Damon. He is different now."

"Oh?" Elena watched Damon across from her, his gaze piercing and hot.

"He isn't withdrawn or looking like he is missing half of himself anymore," Enzo said, the sound of things being tossed in the background. "I can see he is happy. You did that. I just wanted to say thank you. I like this version of him better."

Elena didn't realize how much of an impact she'd had on Damon's life. "That is really nice to hear, Enzo."

"It is cool. Thanks for the advice on Bonnie," he said and hung up.

Enzo shouldn't thank her yet. He still had to deal with Bonnie and whatever mood he found her in. That would be interesting. Very interesting to hear about.

"Want to go for lunch?" Damon asked.

Elena nodded and stood. "Is this my employee asking, or my fiancé?"

"I do not mix business with pleasure. It is the fiancé asking. Though the employee has the hots for you too."

Elena laughed and grabbed his hand to follow him out of the office. Who said you could run from love? Elena thought. She must have been deluded to think she would be able to stay away from Damon. Or that he would let her. It took her five years to finally realize: If you love something let it go. If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was and it is not meant to be.

THE END


End file.
